Ph.D. WELL, LAST YEAR, SPORTS BETTING HAD KIND OF AN OBSTACLE IN THE SENATE.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE SENATE.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IS SENATOR ATT KLEIN, THE SPONSORS OF LEGALIZED SPORTS BETTING.

EXPLAIN, FIRST OF ALL, FOR ANYBODY LIVING UNDER A ROCK, WHAT'S DIFFERENT.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT, MARY, TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

IT'S REALLY MOVING FORWARD LAST THIS YEAR AND I THINK A LOT OF MINNESOTANS WANT THIS, THEM DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY GOVERNMENT IS STANDING IN THEIR WAY.

AND THEY'RE ALREADY ACCESSING IT.

SO WHAT WE FEEL OUR ROLE IS IN THE SENATE IS TO GET THIS ACROSS THE LINE IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT TRUSTWORTHY AND SAFE AND CREATES BARRIERS AROUND PROBLEM GAMBLE AND BARRIERS AROUND IMMATURE GAMBLING.

>> Mary: THE OBVIOUS THING IS THAT THERE'S NOW LEADERSHIP AND NEW PARTY CONTROL.

REPUBLICANS OR AT LEAST REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP MAYBE DIDN'T WANT THIS UP, DIDN'T PUT THE VOTES UP.

YOUR LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO ALLOW THIS UP?

>> YEAH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY OF OUR CAUCUS AND IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT MAINTAINS EXCLUSIVITY OVER THESE LICENSES TO OUR 11 NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND IT'S HISTORICAL JUSTICE ISSUE FOR THEM.

SO GAMING HAS REALLY ALLOWED OUR TRIBES TO RESTORE THEMSELVES TO DIG NIGHTS AND INDEPENDENCE AND PROVIDE BASIC SERVICES FOR THEIR MEMBERS AND AS WE EXPAND GAMBLING IN THIS, THE LARGEST WAY WE HAVE HAVE, IT'S IMPORTANT WE MAINTAIN THEIR RIGHTS OVER THEIR - LICENSES.

>> Mary: I HEARD YOU USE THE PHRASE EXPAND GAMBLING, FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOREVER LIKE ME, THAT USED TO BE WHERE THE VOTES WOULD HIT, THERE WAS ASKING TELL CAPITOL THAT WOULD SAY WE DO NOT EXPAND GAMBLING.

YOU DO SAY THIS IS AN EXCEPTION.

>> THERE'S NO BEATING AROUND THE BUSH, THIS IS AN EXPANSION OF LEGAL GAMBLE AND WE DO HAVE SOME NO VOTES ON BOTHER SIDES OF THE AISLE.

BUT STATISTICS SHOW THAT STATES THAT HAVE GAMBLING, PARTICIPATION RATES ARE IDENTICAL SO PEOPLE ARE DOING IT WHETHER YOU LEGALIZE IT R NOT.

>> Mary: YOU MENTION YOU HEAR BIT.

I'VE ASKED A BUNCH OF LAWMAKERS HOW MUCH DO YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?

TELL US QUITE HONESTLY, I KNOW THEY ALL WANTS TO SAY IT'S EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS BUT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS, RIGHT?

>> HEY REALLY DO AND IT'S A QUIET ROWD, A QUIET BUT VOLUMINOUS CROWD, SIMILAR TO SUNDAY SALES A FEW YEARS AGO.

THERE ARE A LOT OF VOTERS M WHO MAY NOT CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT POLITICS AT THE CAPITOL BUT THEY WANT TO SPORTS WAGER AND ON THEIR PHONES AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE STANDING IN THEIR WAY.

>> Mary: DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR COMMUNICATION IS UP BECAUSE THEY IS HE YOUR FACE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THIS?

>> I DO SEE SOME PEOPLE AT THE GYM WHO ARE LIKE, GREATS JOB, AND I'M LIKE WHY DIDN'T YOU CLAP ME ON THE BACK WHEN IT WAS A PUBLIC OPTION BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CONNECTS WITH MINNESOTANS OF EVERY RANK AND FILE.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE BILL, BECAUSE THERE IS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT POTENTIALLY AND BIPARTISAN OPPOSITION AND SOME OF THE OPPOSITION STEMS FROM PROBLEM GAMBLING.

YOU'RE A DOCTOR.

YOU'RE A PHYSICIAN.

YOU PROBABLY GET THIS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

SO CAN YOU PUT ON YOUR STETHOSCOPE AND TALK ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT ADDICTION?

>> I CAN, AND, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE STILL DOING THIS WHETHER WE LEGALIZE IT OR NOT.

THE BENEFIT WE GET WHEN WE DO LEGALIZE IT IS THAT 50% OF THE TAX REVENUES IN THE CURRENT BILL ARE GONNA GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING AND DO OUTREACH SERVICES AND TREATMENT SERVICES AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION SERVICES.

SO WILLIE BE STRONGER AS A STATE IN ADDRESSING PROBLEM GAMBLE E.KNOWLEDGE AND AS A PHYSICIAN, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN THAT.

>> Mary: YOU MENTIONED REVENUE, HOW MUCH DOES IT RAISE?

>> THERE IS A 10% TAX ON GROSS RECEIPTS AND THE PROJECTIONS ARE THAT ITS WILL RAISE ABOUT $30 MILLION IN TAX REF NEWS.

I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY OFF THE CUFF AS IT EXPANDS IT WILL PROBABLY BE MUCH LARGER THAN THAT.

>> Mary: YOU ALSO MENTIONED EXCLUSIVITY AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MIGHT LOSE YOU SOME VOTES, MILE IT MIGHT GAIN YOU EVERY OTHER, TOO.

SO FAR, REPUBLICANS HAVE SAID, IF YOU DON'T PUT HE TRACKS IN, TOO, WE WON'T SUPPORT IT.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL EXCLUSION,IVITY IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

THAT'S A -- IF WE CAN'T GET THAT ACROSS THE LINE, THEN WE WON'T PASS THE BILL.

HAVING SAID THAT, THE TRACKS ARE IMPORTANT TO MINNESOTANS, THEY'RE A DESTINATION, SIMILAR TO GOING TO THE STATE FAIR, GO TO CANTERBURY PARK OR TO ACES AND THEY HAVE GOOD TIME WITH THEIR KIDS, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SATISFIED WITH THIS DEAL AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> Mary: SO WHAT CAN YOU DO, THEN, HOW CAN YOU SATISFY THE TRACKS IF THEY'RE NOT IN IT?

>> THAT GETS INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO NOT UPSETTING THE APPLE CART ON THAT BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS WE COULD DO TO MAKE SURE THE TRACKS FEEL SUSTAINED IN THIS.

>> Mary: ALSO YOUTH SPORTS BENEFIT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Mary: I'M A SOCCER MOM RIGHT HERE, TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUTH SPORTS.

>> THE BEST PART ABOUT THE YOUTHS SPORTS, 50% OF THE REVENUES GO TO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR PROBLEM GAMBLING, THE OTHER 50% GO TO YOUTH SPORTS OUTREACH EFFORTS AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO COMMUNITIES AND A HALF HIGH PREVALENCE OF JUVENILE CRIME SO IT'S GOING TO BE COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, OF POVERTY AND DISTRESS AND THEY ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM SORT OF INCREASED, SUSTAINED SPORTS ACTIVITY IN THEIR AREA.

>> Mary: HAVE YOU SEEN THE HEADLINES, I THINK IT'S St. PAUL THAT'S DOING NO REGISTRATION NOR SPORTS AND IT'S GOING THROUGH THE ROOF?

>> ISN'T THAT GREAT?

>> Mary: DO YOU THINK THAT COULD BE THE SAME FUEL HERE?

>> WOULDN'T THAT BE GREAT AND THAT'S MY DREAM, THE VISION THAT WE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING KIND OF GOOD OUTS OF THIS BILL.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TIMING IS?

YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE STILL IN TALKS, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE FLOOR VOTES YET.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> '6" HEARD FROM ALL PARTIES THAT WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT.

IT'S STILL MOVING ITS WAY THROUGH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

I'VE HAD FRIENDLY RECEPTIONS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND I THINK WE'LL GET A DEAL THIS YEAR.

>> Mary: DO YOU HAVE TO TIME IT IN MAYBE THE LESS SERIOUS PHASE BECAUSE ALREADY A BUNCH OF BIG, HEAVY POLICY RECORD AMOUNT OF MAJOR BILLS ALREADY SIGNED INTO LAW.

BUT OST-FORECAST, IT'S KIND OF BUDGET TIME NOW.

SO DO YOU AVE TO WAIT FOR SOME OF THE BUDGET, DOES THAT MATTER IN TERMS OF MESSAGING?

>> I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE THERE'S NO EXPENSE IS TO THIS BILL.

IT'S A REVENUE -- IT CREATES REVENUE SO THAT'S NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T ONE OF OUR TOP FIVE DFL PRIORITIES WHICH I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SO THERE WAS THAT, LETTING THOSE BIG ONES GET NOW THE COMMITTEE PROCESS AND THIS ONE IS TRAILING AFTERWARDS BUT WE'VE GOT TWO MONTHS LEFT HERE AND WE'LL WORK HARD.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PACE SO THAT ARE?

YOU'VE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THIS IS AN UNUSUAL PACE.

>> IT'S GOOD, ND WE HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP IN LEADER DEEDS DICK, AND I WISH HER WELL, WE ALL MISS HER VERY MUCH.

SHE'S TAKING CARE OF THE STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES AND WE'RE.

>> Mary: DID FRESHMEN CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE ON THIS?

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT NEW LAWMAKERS ARE WITH YOU MORE ON THIS THAN SOME OF THE PRESENTED ASSESSORS?

>> I THINK THE YOUNGER SOMEBODY IS THE MORE THEY SEE THIS AS AN OBVIOUS ISSUE, SIMILAR TO SUNDAY SALES AND THEY'RE CONFUSED WHY IT'S BEEN HELD BACK.

BY THE SAY WAY, I HAVE TO SAY OW EXTRAORDINARY OUR FRESHMEN CLASS IS, GREAT