Opinion: Tribes won't let lottery get away with online games

The Feb. 8 editorial (“Discuss lottery practices, proceeds”) left some questions unanswered when endorsing the Minnesota Lottery’s expansion into Internet gaming without legislative approval. Federal law requires it and the lottery does not have it. Minnesota law does not allow the state lottery to be both a vendor and a seller of games, but it currently does both on its website.

The lottery is currently operating as a law unto itself. After expanding without legislative approval, the director has asked the Legislature to “trust us” to never make that mistake again. This is not something that can be left to trust.

The Minnesota Horse Racing Commission has already told its House oversight committee that it needs Internet gaming so people can bet the horses on their cellphones without ever having to go to the track. How is the Legislature not going to provide this group with the same Internet access, especially since it is asking for it and not taking it? To think that tribal gaming interests in Minnesota are going to sit back and let the lottery get away with this without offering their own products is fantasy. Charitable gaming will then be forced to join the fray or cease to exist in short order.

What we will then have are literally millions of gambling terminals within arm’s reach 24/7/365 without ever having to go anywhere to gamble.