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Minnesota Governor Proposed Legalized Sports Betting19 February 2002ST. PAUL, Minnesota – Feb. 16, 2002 –As reported by the Mesabi Daily News: "With all the talk about state-owned casinos and other gaming issues, Gov. Jesse Ventura says why not go a step further and legalize sports betting. "He said it's more than a $1 billion industry that the state collects nothing on. People want to bet on these sporting events. Newspapers print the lines on football games. So why not legalize it, Ventura asked. "…He said, `Let them pay taxes and be licensed. Let them become legitimate businesses.' "…Frank Ball, director of the alcohol and gambling enforcement division of the Department of Public Safety, mulled through three feet of research on sports betting at Ventura's request. He said the $200 billion national industry is against federal law everywhere in the country but Las Vegas. "`We told the governor that if the state wants to legalize it, we'd have to challenge the feds,' Ball said. "Although there could be financial benefits to legalizing and regulating sports betting, Ball said there are other things to take in to consideration. He said sometimes with bookkeeping, organized crime is involved. Also, betting could include anything from turtle races in Nisswa, Minnesota, to the Super Bowl, fostering juveniles involvement…" |