>> CATHY: SPORTS BETTING LEGALIZATION IS A PLAY MINNESOTA LEGISLATORS HAVE REPEATEDLY TRIED TO RUN FOR YEARS BUT HAVE YET TO GET TO THE ENDZONE.

THIRTY-EIGHT STATES, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS, NOW HAVE LEGALIZED SPORTS GAMBLING IN SOME WAY, AND MANY IN THE NORTH STAR STATE THINK IT'S TIME TO JOIN THEM.

PAST STUMBLING BLOCKS HAVE INCLUDED CONCERN ABOUT GAMBLING ADDICTION, LICENSING, AND COMPETITION WITH RACETRACKS AND NATIVE OWNED CASINOS.

WE'VE GATHERED BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE HERE TONIGHT.

DFL STATE SENATOR MATT KLEIN AUTHORED A SPORTS BETTING BILL LAST SESSION.

AND WE WELCOME BACK DFL STATE SENATOR JOHN MARTY WHO HAS CONCERNS ABOUT LEGALIZING SPORTS BETTING IN MINNESOTA.

THANKS TO BOTH OF I FOR BEING HERE.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: SENATOR KLINE, AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS, THIS WOULD BE IF IT PASSES THE BIGGEST EXAMINATION OF GAMBLING IN MINNESOTA, IN, WHAT, 40-SOME ODD YEARS?

IT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL.

>> WE CAN THINK OF IT AS EXPANSION OF GAMBLE ALTHOUGH I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS MODERNIZING WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING.

WE KNOW THAT LARGE MINNESOTANS ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITIES, IN MANY CASES THROUGH ILLICIT OR NEFARIOUS OR UNTRUST WORTHY SITES AND WE WANT TO PUT GUARDRAILS AROUND THAT.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT 55% OF MINNESOTANS SUPPORT LEGS LAGS AND SO WE WANT TO ESPOND TO THEIR VERY REAL CONCERN THAT THIS BECOME LEGAL.

>> Eric: ARE YOU SOFTENING ON THIS A LITTLE BIT?

YOU WERE A PRETTY STRONG ANTI-GAMBLING GUY AND YOUR PRESS RELEASE EARLIER IN THE YEAR, YEAH, WITH A COUPLE OF AMENDMENTS, MAYBE IT WOULD FLY.

>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FEELING ADULTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GAMBLE IF THEY WANT, GAMBLE ON SPORTS, ANYTHING, THEY CAN BETTER WITH THEIR FRIENDS, BET WITH CO-WORKERS, WITH STRANGERS AND THEY CAN ALREADY, AND THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO.

MY CONCERN IS THE PREDATORY EXPLOITIVE BUSINESSES THAT COME IN AND WANT TO PROFIT OFF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GAMING KNOWLEDGE AND THE TROUBLE IS YOU HAVE PEOPLE -- MAY NOT DRAW IN TOO MANY MOTHER PEOPLE, IT WILL DRAW MORE PEOPLE TO GAP BELIEVE BUT THE TROUBLE I HAVE IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GAMBLING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT GAMBLE OCCASIONALLY, WHEN YOU RUN ADS AMOUNT TIMES AND THE SPORTS BETTING INDUSTRY IS VERY GOOD AT COLLECTING DATES TAKE AND THEY EXACTLY WHAT DRIVES YOU, WHAT PROMOTIONS TO, WHAT YOU'RE SUSCEPTIBLE TO, SO MY CONCERN IS THAT BRINGING IN THE PREDATORY BUSINESSES MAKES IT FAR MORE ADDICTIVE AND THE STATES LIKE NEW JERSEY WHO EVER HAD IT FOR FOUR, FIVE YEARS SAID THEY HAVE HAD A TRIP HIM OF CALLS TO THEIR GAMBLE HOT LINES.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> ITCH NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR FLOOR MARTY'S GENERAL -- GENUINE CONCERN.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS 25% OF THE REVENUES I'M OFFERING GO TO DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES AND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLE SO I THINK WE MAY BE ACTUALLY STRONGER WITH LEGALITY LAGS THAN WE ARE IN OUR CURRENT REGULATED ENVIRONMENT.

>> Cathy: I ONDER, ARE THE KEYS TO THIS THE CONTROL OF THE SPORTS BOOKS FOR THE TRAINS?

WHO WOULD CONTROL THIS, EXACTLY?

>> IN MY BILL, IT'S EXCLUSIVE LICENSES FOR TRIBES AND THAT'S BEEN AN MORE PRINCIPLE FROM DAY ONE.

WE HAVE LEGALIZED GAMBLING AT CASINOS IN MINNESOTA AND WE'VE CONFINED THAT TO TRIBES AND THAT'S BECOME A HUGE ECONOMIC ENGINE TO RESTORE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE TO OUR SOVEREIGN NATIONS AND I THINK WE NEED TO RESPECT THAT PRINCIPLE GOING FORWARD.

>> Eric: HAVE YOU BEEN A PART OF THIS -- BECAUSE YOU LIVE -- THERE'S THE CHARITIES, THE TRACKS, THE TRIBES, THE SPORTS TEAMS.

I MEAN, A LOT OF PIECES HAVE TO COME TOGETHER, DON'T YOU THINK, FOR THIS?

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES AND LIKE MATT, I SUPPORT THE FACT THAT WE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THE TRIBES YEARS AGO, WE OUGHT TO KEEP AND RESPECT THOSE COMMITMENTS BUT MOST OF THE DISCUSSION OF THIS BILL IN THE PAST HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WHO PROFITS FROM IT?

MY CONCERN IS THE OTHER SIDE, WHO GETS HURT BY IT, HOW DO WE GET HURT.

AND, AGAIN, GAMBLING ADDICTION IS THE MOST DEADLY IN TERMS OF SUICIDE RISK OF ANY TYPE OF ADDICTION, FAR MORE DEADLY THAN OPIOIDS IN TERMS OF SUICIDE RISK.

ONE -- HALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN TREATMENT FOR GAMBLE ADDICTION HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE ONE IN SIX HAS ACTUALLY ATTEMPTED IT, AND IF WE HAVE A TRIPLING OF THE PEOPLE WHO GETS THAT FAR ALONG THE LINE SHE THEY GETS MORE INTENSIVE GAMBLE BECAUSE OF THERE, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

SO MY CONCERN IS NOT WHO BENEFITS FROM IT, I -- I -- I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE WAY MATT IS PROPOSING THAT.

I HAVE CONCERN ABOUT HOW MUCH WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS.

>> Cathy: YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THE HORSE TRACKS ON THIS?

THEY'RE LOOKING -- CANTERBURY IS HURTING AND IS HURTING FOR MONEY, SO I WONDER, WHERE DO THEY FIT INTO THIS?

>> I VISITED CANTERBURY LAST SUMMER AND THE HORSE TRACKS ARE AN IMPORTANT SPORTS FOR MINNESOTANS.

SO WE TAKE THEIR CONCERNS VERY SERIOUSLY.

BUT WE TALK ABOUT THE TRACKS AND THE TRIBES AND THE CHARITIES ONE THING, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT TOO MUCH IS MINNESOTANS WHO THINK THIS IS A LEGITIMATE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY AND THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS STANDING IN THEIR WAY.

>> Eric: I WAS SURPRISED HOW LITTLE MONEY IS AT STAKE HERE.

I CAN PEOPLE HAD A GAND YOST -- THIS WILL HELP US FULLY FUNDS EDUCATION BUT THE DOLLARS AREN'T, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, THAT BIG.

>> IT'S TRUE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PROVIDING 11 LICENSES FOR 11 SOVEREIGN TRIBES AND YOU CAN DIVIDE THAT PIE 11 DIFFERENT DAYS, THE NUMBERS ARE NOT GIGANTIC SO IT'S TRUE, NOBODY IS GETTING HUGELY RICH OFF THIS.

>> Cathy: I DIDN'T QUITE HERE AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, SO WHERE WOULD THE TRACKS FIT INTO THIS?

WOULD THEY HAVE A PIECE OF THIS AND HOW WOULD THAT WORK?

>> IN MY BILL CURRENTLY THEY DO, THEY HAVE REVENUES THAT COME DIRECTLY FROM THE TAX REVENUES TO THE PURSES AT THE TRACKS AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK -- WORKSHOP IDEAS WITH THE TRACKS ABOUT LOU TO MAKE THAT JUST RIGHT.

>> Cathy: SENATOR MARTY, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE -- THERE WOULD BE MONEY FIT PASSES, SET ASIDE TO HELP FOLKS WHO ARE PROBLEM GAMBLERS.

IS THAT ENOUGH MONEY BEING TALKED ABOUT, THOUGH?

>> NO, AND I WOULD SAY I ALSO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT TAXPAYERS SUBSIDIZING THE TRACKS WHEN THE TRACKS CAME IN, IT WAS GOING TO BE HUGE, NEW INDUSTRY FOR MINNESOTA AND BRINGING IN LOTS OF NEW MONEY AND NOW THE FACT THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY USED PUBLIC MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE -- I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS THE BILLS NOW ARE TALKING 10, 15% TAX BRACKET, AND IT'S A PROFESSIONALLABLE INDUSTRY AND THE CORPORATIONS, FANNING DUEL AND OTHERS, THEY MAKE SO MUCH MONEY OFF IT, NEW YORK STATE HAS A TAX RACE THAT'S NOT 10 OR 15%, IT'S 51%.

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

WELL, THEY AGREED TO IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S SUCH A PROFITABLE BUSINESS AND THEY HAD TO NEGOTIATE AND CAME UP WITH 51%.

WE DO A HIGHER TAX RATE, WE'LL GETS MORE MONEY.

>> Eric: YOU NEED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, SOUNDS LIKE.

>> I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT'S THE CASE.

I CONTINUES TO WORK WITH SENATOR MARTY AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS IN MY CAUCUS AND I THINK THERE IS A CHANCE, IF WE AN GET AN ALL DFL-BILL, I'LL CONTINUES TO WORK THAT AND CERTAINLY IT WILL ADDRESS SENATOR MARTY'S CONCERNS.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE BILL?

>> IT'S IN FRONT OF FINANCE, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND HEAR THE AMENDMENTS.

>> Eric: YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THE BILL.

>> WE'RE STARTING TO TAKE IT BACK IN HIS COMMITTEE AND TAKE ON SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS.

I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT -- WE'VE HAD COLLEGE ATHLETES WHO HAVE GOTTEN EATH THREATS FROM MAKING PLAYS BECAUSE IT CHANGED THE POINT SPRAYED.

WE HAVE TO PROTECT -- I THINK WE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWING COLLEGIATE SPORT BETTING, I THINK WE SHOULD BE PROTECTING MINORS, I THINK WE HAVE TO PROTECT GANGS THE MOST PREDATORY PRACTICES.

IF WE DO THAT, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH -- SENATOR KLINE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT WORTHING TOGETHER.

>> Eric: IF YOU'RE GIVING IT A HEARING, THAT'S A STEP FORWARD, I WOULD SAY.

[Laughter] >> WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ONE STEP AT A TIME.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP