Transcript Highlights:

• and Game.
• and Game.
• and Game.
• and Game.
• Why can't Fish and Game go back seven years on game violations?

Committee: House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Travers Manley, Senior Vice President of Gaming with the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation
• What we do through the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation related to responsible gaming and
• </c> Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation<00:01:25.759><c> and
• </c><00:03:19.239><c> assistance</c> to the problem gaming assistance to the problem gaming assistance
• </c><00:05:40.520><c> be</c><00:05:41.400><c> the</c> gaming and problem gaming would be the gaming and

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:37 KY Horse Racing and Gaming Corp. 08:32 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 35:28 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard an update from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation on sports wagering revenue allocations and problem gaming funding. KHRGC reported that in fiscal year 2024, about $34.4 million was deposited to the pension fund and about $931,000 to the problem gaming assistance fund; fiscal year 2025 to date, the totals were about $18.5 million and $556,000, respectively, bringing all-time problem gaming funding to about $1.48 million. Members also discussed wagering volume, with KHRGC stating Kentucky had about $3.5 billion in wagers from September 2023 through December 2024 and about $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2025 to date. KHRGC explained that it tracks the funds sent to CHFS and the self-exclusion list, but does not track the number of people seeking help or the outcomes of those calls. The Division of Mental Health then described how the problem gambling assistance account is used. Patty Clark and Sarah Cooper said the fund supports education, counseling, public awareness, counselor certification, and treatment-related costs, with $50,000 reserved for administrative expenses. They said the department has spent the last 18 months establishing criteria, funding standards, performance measures, monitoring, and application procedures, and that it issued notices of funding opportunity in October. They reported about 1.49 million in the fund through the end of January, with awards including support for the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling conference, a public awareness campaign by Project Ricochet, and a youth-focused campaign by Shaunie Transformation Youth Coalition. Testimony also focused on the scope of problem gambling in Kentucky and how the helpline works. The department said fewer than 10 clinicians in Kentucky are specifically certified in problem gambling, though all addiction clinicians can provide services, and estimated about 165,000 adults show problem gambling behaviors, with 47,000 to 64,000 potentially meeting criteria for a gambling disorder. They said helpline calls rose to about 3,240 in 2024, but only about 25% were from people seeking help, with most callers seeking information about online wagering. Members asked about anonymity, follow-up, co-occurring alcohol or drug issues, and whether the fund should reimburse Medicaid or directly cover treatment costs. The presenters said calls are anonymous, outcomes are not tracked unless callers follow up, and the program is currently focused on building provider capacity and targeted outreach rather than direct reimbursement or a statewide campaign.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fish and Game Set Aside Fund.
• , a portion of those go into the Fish and Game Fund.
• So just a few comments on Fish and Game.
• So just a few comments on Fish and Game.
• And the tribe co-manages those stocks with Idaho Fish and Game. With Idaho Fish and Game.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations and questions for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Office of Species Conservation, and the Office of the Attorney General. Fish and Game’s budget was described as largely dedicated and federal funding with no general fund support, with discussion of ongoing and one-time enhancements for fisheries inflation, habitat projects, Good Neighbor Authority work, depredation claims, chronic wasting disease testing, and communications. Director Jim Fredericks also reviewed the new nonresident tag draw system, access challenges on private lands, and the department’s role in habitat work and species management. Members raised concerns about depredation claim shortfalls, survey and advisory committee processes, predator management, and the overlap between Fish and Game and the Office of Species Conservation on habitat and endangered species work. The Office of Species Conservation presentation focused on its role coordinating state actions for threatened, endangered, and candidate species, mostly through federal and miscellaneous revenue funds. Administrator Mike Edmondson explained that the office often serves as the policy and administrative lead while Fish and Game carries out much of the field work, and he described metrics for sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bear-related efforts. He also said the office has been working with the Department of Energy and Mineral Resources on a possible merger, with some staff reductions under consideration, and answered questions about grizzly bear delisting, wolf litigation, and tribal consultation. Attorney General Raul Labrador then argued that his office has produced significant results without asking for new money, but said the committee’s proposed reductions would force furloughs or position cuts and asked for $980,000 to be restored. He highlighted the ICAC unit’s elimination of a cyber-tip backlog, increased arrests, consumer protection recoveries, and expanded appellate and civil litigation work defending state laws. Members asked about the source of recovered funds, the office’s flexibility to absorb cuts, and whether the state could work on a framework to transfer incarcerated undocumented offenders to federal custody for deportation. The committee ended by noting upcoming budget-setting work and adjourned until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that it addresses the gaming regulation for games.
• And we know there are illegal games out there. There are games that are gray.
• illegal games out there.
• So there's two gaming provisions, right? There's gaming, casinos, and there's lottery.
• Lottery game, it'll be a type of regulatory game, but it will be a type of lottery game.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> with a game a company that does gaming with a game a company that does gaming um<00:47:24.839><c
• It's a gaming bill again.
• Other than that, this bill seeks to treat online gaming the same as we do current gaming.
• Other than that, this bill seeks to treat online gaming the same as we do current gaming.
• Other than that, this bill seeks to treat online gaming the same as we do current gaming.

Committee: Senate Ways and Means

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Idaho voters created the Idaho Fish and Game Commission.
• Fish and Game Set Aside Fund.
• , a portion of those go into the Fish and Game Fund.
• So just a few comments on Fish and Game.
• And the tribe co-manages those stocks with Idaho Fish and Game. With Idaho Fish and Game.

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation from the Department of Fish and Game. Legislative Services outlined the agency’s funding structure, noting it receives no general fund and is supported mainly by dedicated and federal funds, with most spending going to personnel and many requests being one-time items. Director Jim Fredericks described the department’s mission, staffing, hatcheries, wildlife management areas, habitat work, enforcement, and funding sources, including license and tag revenue, federal excise taxes, and mitigation funds. Members asked about rescissions, temporary employee restoration, fisheries inflation items, depredation claims, nonresident tag sales, communications with the public, predator management, chronic wasting disease, habitat projects, and the relationship with the Office of Species Conservation. Fredericks said the department is working to right-size depredation funding, that the new nonresident draw system appears to be maintaining strong revenue, and that many habitat and disease-related costs are rising because of changing conditions and expanded work. He also acknowledged the technology-rule advisory process could have been handled better, especially regarding wolves, and said he would have structured that committee differently in hindsight. The committee then took up the Office of Species Conservation. Janet Jessup explained that the office is small, mostly federally funded, and often passes grant money through to Fish and Game for on-the-ground work. Administrator Mike Edmondson said the office serves as the state’s technical, policy, and legal advisor on endangered and candidate species and works closely with Fish and Game on habitat and consultation issues. He described measurable work on sage grouse, salmon and steelhead, and grizzly bears, and said the office has concrete metrics such as acres treated, river miles restored, and conflict-reduction actions. Members asked about the overlap with Fish and Game, the number of species covered, and a proposed merger with the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Edmondson said there is strong synergy with OMER because many energy and mining projects come through species consultation first, and he said the office would support a merger if the Legislature pursues it, though he cautioned against cutting too deeply. Questions also touched on grizzly bear delisting, wolf-trapping litigation, and tribal consultation on salmon, steelhead, and other species. Finally, Attorney General Raul Labrador presented his office’s budget and performance. He argued that the office has returned more money to the state than it costs, citing $242 million recovered or settled over three years, and said the proposed reductions would force furloughs or elimination of positions because the office is mostly personnel costs and largely general-fund supported. Labrador highlighted major gains in the Internet Crimes Against Children unit, saying the backlog of cyber tips was eliminated, review times are now within 24 hours, and arrests have risen sharply; he also noted the Legislature expanded the child sexual abuse material law to cover AI-generated content. He described expanded civil defense and appellate work, creation of a solicitor general function through reorganization, more in-house handling of risk cases, and a reworked consumer protection division that now responds to complaints within 24 hours and has increased enforcement and direct consumer recoveries. Members asked about the source of the recovered funds, whether cyber crimes are increasing or just being caught better, and whether the office could help develop a framework for transferring incarcerated noncitizens to federal custody for deportation. The budget analyst later clarified that some of the office’s apparent underspending reflects vacancy savings and the ability to move funds between expenditure classes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> want to go to gaming want to go to gaming you<00:10:57.600><c> know,</c><00:10:57.760><c> they</
• of gaming.
• of gaming.
• c> gaming.
• And then it gaming will kick in."

Bills: SF0045 , SJ0001

Committee: House Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we're going to be hearing a number of different issues relative to gaming and racing.
• Well, I could talk about our commitment to responsible gaming all day.
• Well, I could talk about our commitment to responsible gaming all day.
• If online gaming was going to cannibalize gaming, it would have happened already.
• taking in $436,000 in eye gaming deposits.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure held a hearing on a range of gaming, racing, horse protection, problem gambling, and lottery bills. A major focus was H. 356 and related horse-racing legislation, which drew strong support from residents and animal-welfare advocates who argued that proposed racetrack and simulcast developments should require upfront traffic, environmental, public health, and economic studies, plus stronger local approval and transparency. They said past proposals in several communities had lacked adequate information and had imposed costs on towns. Opponents, including the New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, argued that the bills would harm racing, breeding, farms, and related jobs, and said horse racing is already heavily regulated and that claims about slaughter and safety were overstated. Several speakers also supported S. 280, which would protect horses and phase out or restrict horse racing, citing animal cruelty, injuries, and deaths. The committee also heard extensive testimony on SB 235 and HB 332 to authorize regulated online casino gaming (iGaming). DraftKings, FanDuel, IDEA, and the Sports Betting Alliance supported the bills, saying iGaming is already occurring illegally in Massachusetts and should be brought into a regulated, taxed market with age verification, responsible gaming tools, and consumer protections. They projected substantial annual tax revenue and argued legal iGaming would not cannibalize brick-and-mortar casinos, instead creating a “rising tide” effect. Opponents, including Local 26, the National Association Against iGaming, and problem-gambling advocates, warned of job losses, casino cannibalization, increased addiction, and greater harm to vulnerable players, citing experiences in other states and rising helpline calls. The committee asked for follow-up information on revenue and market-size estimates. Later, Rep. Scanlon testified in support of S. 240 and S. 241, which would standardize gambling disclaimers and require annual reporting on problem-gambling treatment funded through the Public Health Trust Fund. He said the bills would make it easier for people to find help and improve oversight of treatment programs. Rep. Garcia testified in support of H. 434, which would change the formula for distributing lottery revenues, arguing that gateway and lower-income communities such as Chelsea contribute heavily to lottery sales but receive too little back in local aid. After hearing additional testimony and reading into the record bills that received no testimony, the committee recessed briefly, then closed the hearing by motion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll do like a game day, or like someone will receive the game ball at a basketball game.
• We'll do like a game day, or like someone will receive the game ball at a basketball game.
• Our instant games were flat and our draw games increased by about 12%.
• Each game has an end.
• Scratch-off games have 90 days to claim your prize, and draw games are 180 days. Okay, thank you.

Committee: All ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also the chair of the Lummi Tribal Gaming Commission.
• So a little bit of background about gaming here in the Lummi Nation.
• Tribal gaming creates an opportunity to generate— In the state of Washington, tribal gaming creates an
• of the game and ensure the welfare of the customer, like current tribal gaming.
• of the tribal government to ensure gaming remains protected.

Summary: The Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee held a public hearing on a proposed tribal gaming compact amendment involving the Lummi Nation and the Washington State Gambling Commission. Tina Griffin, director of the Gambling Commission, explained the compact amendment process under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the role of the commission and legislative ex officio members, and noted that the proposal had reached tentative agreement and would next go to hearings before the commission and the House. She said the commission and tribe have a long-standing collaborative relationship. Lummi Nation Vice Chairman Terence Adams and other tribal representatives described the tribe’s gaming history and the purpose of the amendment. The proposal would add or update compact provisions for higher table and lottery limits, extension of credit to customers, electronic table games, and conforming definition changes. Tribal representatives said the changes would support tribal governmental services and economic development while maintaining strong regulation and internal controls. Commission staff said similar provisions have already been approved for other tribes and that the tribe would be responsible for setting responsible credit limits and controls, including customer vetting and self-exclusion checks. Senator Hasegawa asked about how credit would work and what oversight would apply, and staff said they would follow up with more detail. Senator Fortunato clarified that the request was for Lummi to receive provisions already available in other tribal compacts. Committee members also asked about the timing of public comment, and staff said it would be taken at the end of the hearing if any was signed up. No public comment was offered, and the chair closed the hearing without any vote or formal action taken by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, we are up to. 14 gaming tribes and 22 gaming facilities.
• The internet gaming.
• Internet gaming.
• gaming coordinator.
• Is internet gaming...

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• games.
• games.
• </c> chance game of skill yeah no it is game chance game of skill yeah no it is game of<02:02:15.400>
• </c> games of chance which are table games games of chance which are table games which<02:09:25.880><
• </c><04:56:20.200><c> he</c> game pardon bear was in the gaming he game pardon bear was in the gaming

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The public hearing opened on HB 728-FN, which would authorize video lottery terminals at charity gaming facilities and repeal historic horse racing licensing. Representative Om explained that the bill would convert the current historic horse racing terminals into true video lottery terminals/slot machines and change the revenue split, reducing the operator share from 75% to 70% while increasing the state share from 25% to 30%. He also noted the bill would increase the amount going to charities and other state beneficiaries. Former State Rep. Pat Brammy, who had served on the Charitable Gaming Study Commission, testified in support of the bill’s basic structure. He said a consultant’s report found historic racing machines cost facilities 12% to 18% more to operate because of totalizer and track-related fees, and that slot machines would be cheaper because there are more manufacturers and more competition. He argued that although the operator share drops by 5%, facilities could still benefit from lower operating costs, and he said the commission concluded that moving to slot machines would increase revenues to facilities, charities, and the state. He also said the bill would create a more stable stream of funding for problem gambling, since the current HHR “breakage” funding mechanism is limited and dependent on a single vendor. Brammy also discussed the commission’s concerns about market concentration in HHR machines, saying the commission found the market was dominated by only a few manufacturers and recommended legislation to address that issue under Article 83 of the state constitution. He interpreted the bill as allowing a phase-in of slot machines upon passage, with the remaining HHR provisions phasing out by January 1, 2028, and said facilities would likely transition as leases expire. Committee members asked about HHR contracts, machine programming, testing, and whether removing HHR would reduce competition; Brammy said he believed leases were likely short-term, machines are tested by a lab, and the legislature could decide whether the change is appropriate. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I read from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Marine
• </c> allow the men and women of fishing game allow the men and women of fishing game to<01:42:08.840>
• </c> game um chairman of the fishing Game game um chairman of the fishing Game Commission<03:39:06.199
• The Fish and Game Commission is the overall operation of Fish and Game. That is 100% correct.
• The Fish and Game Commission is the overall operation of Fish and Game. Thank you.

Committee: House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll do, like, a game day, or someone will receive the game ball at a basketball game.
• But the draw games, we are up 4.5%.
• These are the games that began in the month of May: a new $1 game, a new $2 game, a new $5 game, and
• a new $10 game.
• Scratch-off games have 90 days to claim your prize, and draw games are 180 days. Okay, thank you.

Committee: All ALC-LOTTERY OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE

Summary: The committee met to review Arkansas Scholarship Lottery contracts and receive updates on operations and finances. Sharon Strong, the lottery’s executive director, presented a new three-year advertising and marketing contract with Cranford Company for $19.29 million, replacing an expiring contract and coming in below the prior three-year amount. Members asked about the RFP process, number of bids, and how cost is weighted in the award formula; the contract was reviewed and approved without objection after a motion and vote. The committee also reviewed a three-year Learfield sponsorship contract tied to University of Arkansas promotional events for $86,800 per year, with a corrected three-year total of $260,400; members questioned a system-generated summary figure that incorrectly showed a seven-year total, and staff clarified the contract itself was only for three years with no extensions. That item was also reviewed without objection. Strong then presented the fiscal 2027 budget, highlighting expected savings of about $1 million each from the new gaming system/scratch ticket contracts and the new advertising contract. The lottery projected slight shifts in instant and draw ticket revenue, corresponding prize payout changes, and net proceeds of about $108.2 million transferred to the scholarship account. In the monthly disclosure report for May 2026, she reported flat instant game sales, a 12.6% increase in draw game sales, and year-to-date net proceeds ahead of budget, with strong draw game performance attributed in part to Powerball. Members asked about unclaimed prizes, which remain in reserve during the year and are transferred at fiscal year-end to the scholarship trust account except for a $1 million reserve, and about how scholarship funds are distributed through the Division of Higher Education based on student rosters and class year awards. The committee also discussed the lottery’s financial statements, including revenue, prize payouts, operating expenses, trust account balances, and unclaimed prize balances. Staff explained that the lottery is self-sustaining and funded by lottery revenue, not taxpayer appropriations, and that the trust account balance is used to meet scholarship requests from higher education. The meeting ended with Senator Hill praising the lottery staff’s marketing around a recent large winner in Little Rock, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• the non-game fund?
• the non-game fund?
• the non-game fund?
• the non-game fund?
• because the non-game into non-game because the non-game account<01:57:24.400><c> is</c><01:57:24.520

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• betting and charitable gaming.
• </c> sports betting and charitable gaming. sports betting and charitable gaming.
• </c> state service to charitable gaming state service to charitable gaming sitting<00:05:01.759><c> at
• Charitable gaming has a $25 fee.
• Charitable gaming has a 150 to 5,000. Charitable gaming has a $25<00:09:02.800><c> fee.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its August 21 meeting and then received an update from Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation leadership on implementation of Senate Bill 299 and House Bill 566. Jamie Eids and staff described the agency’s new structure after charitable gaming was brought under the corporation, including new divisions, staffing, banking, payroll, insurance, procurement, and reporting systems. They also unveiled the corporation’s new logo and tagline, and said the transition had been designed to avoid interruption for charities, licensees, and racing operations. A major focus was the fee structure required by House Bill 566. Eids outlined current licensing fees across racing, sports wagering, and charitable gaming, compared Kentucky’s fees with other states, and recommended keeping the status quo for one more year because the agency has only recently brought all three components fully in-house. Members asked about whether charitable gaming had harmed veterans’ groups or other nonprofits, whether any revenue should be transferred back to the state, and whether the charitable gaming licenses cover one-off raffles as well as standing operations. Eids said she had not heard complaints, said the licenses include all such activity with some exemptions, and agreed to look at the question of future transfers. The committee then heard from Melissa Combs Wright on pari-mutuel wagering and Hannah Sims on sports wagering. They reported continued growth in historical horse racing, more than $11 billion in total pari-mutuel wagering in fiscal year 2025, over $10.5 billion in HHR wagers, and about $161 million in pari-mutuel tax revenue, with most of that supporting the general fund and horse-breeding development funds. They also said sports wagering has generated nearly $5 billion in wagers since launch, $73 million for the public pension fund, and more than $2 million for problem gambling services, while expanding to 13 retail locations and 92 additional sports events. Members raised concerns about players being cut off after winning, the lack of local government revenue sharing from gaming facilities, and the growth of computer-assisted wagering; the witnesses said they were reviewing CAWs and that Kentucky does not license poker rooms through the corporation.

Transcript Highlights:

• games.
• Video games have become...
• that game.
• that game.
• use of a game.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 1921 on video game shutdowns. The author and Consumer Reports supported requiring game operators to give 60 days’ notice before ending server support and to offer a menu of remedies, including refunds or playable/offline alternatives, while the Entertainment Software Association opposed the bill as an unwarranted new standard for digital products and raised safety and legal concerns about community servers. Members questioned the scope of refunds, copyright, and community-server issues, and the author said he was open to further amendments. The bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. AB 1965, dealing with cannabis testing, was presented as a measure to strengthen the Department of Cannabis Control’s authority over testing labs and improve product safety and transparency. The California Cannabis Operators Association supported the bill, saying it would help ensure consistent standards and protect consumers in a market with a large illicit component. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 2141, which would allow the Board of Pharmacy to resolve certain disciplinary matters through a voluntary pre-accusation settlement process. The author and a supporting pharmacist said it would speed resolution of smaller, technical cases and reduce costs, while a member raised concerns about transparency and whether the public would have less information about licensee misconduct. The bill passed the committee on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations, with Senator Menjivar voting no, and was placed on call. AB 2163, creating strategic clean energy and critical mineral development zones, was supported by the author and Imperial County as a way to prioritize geothermal and lithium development in areas like the Salton Sea region; it passed on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations and was placed on call. Later, AB 1990 on compounded weight-loss drug advertising drew significant debate. Supporters argued it would curb misleading ads and require disclosures about risks and non-FDA approval, while opponents from the compounding pharmacy community said it would create burdens, duplicate existing false-advertising law, and could harm patient access. Members questioned whether the bill actually addressed targeting minors and whether it would force use of FDA-approved labeling; the author said the bill was meant to add specificity and guardrails. The bill was moved on a due-pass motion to Senate Judiciary, with some no votes, and placed on call. The committee also heard AB 2783 on court reporters, which would add a national certification pathway and extend a remote reporting pilot; it drew support from court reporting stakeholders and passed unanimously on a due-pass motion to Senate Appropriations, placed on call. Finally, AB 2771, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education sunset bill, and AB 2772, the interior design certification sunset bill, were presented and heard with mixed testimony: AB 2771 received support from student and borrower advocates and was moved to Senate Education, while AB 2772 drew both support and strong opposition over CCIDC governance and accountability, with the committee hearing extensive public comment before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:35:52.079><c> working</c> convene a tourism and gaming working convene a tourism and gaming working
• It's and regulating gaming in Hawaii.
• And um meanwhile, you know, gaming.
• Maybe at the game rooms too.
• </c> um other representatives say about game um other representatives say about game rooms<00:44:51.200

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:23.160><c> to</c> allowing that system of gaming to allowing that system of gaming to continue
• We've gone through this ground so many times for those of you who have been around. gaming in 2023 gaming
• E-tab games are popular.
• </c> segment of our Revenue um EOL tab games segment of our Revenue um EOL tab games are<00:14:24.279
• </c> are doing our best to make these games are doing our best to make these games fun<00:14:46.120><

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 169, which would change the tax structure for charitable gambling. Representative Robbins offered and the committee adopted the A1 author’s amendment, described as a technical correction to ensure sports-themed tip boards are not inadvertently taxed under the bill. Robbins then presented the bill as a way to replace the current tiered combined net receipts tax on charitable gambling with a flat 5% rate, arguing charities were being overtaxed and that prior promises of relief had not been fully delivered. Chair Stevenson pushed back on several of Robbins’ factual claims, correcting the record on the status of E-pull tabs, the share of charitable gambling revenue they represent, and the amount of tax relief already enacted in 2023 and 2024. He said E-tabs were not eliminated, that the revenue split between paper pull tabs and E-tabs is closer to 45/55, and that charities had already received a $15 million tax cut plus savings from reduced developer fees. Robbins responded that the changes still significantly reduced revenue and that the bill was intended as a middle-ground approach. Testimony largely came from charitable gambling and veterans groups in support of the bill. Rachel Jenner of Allied Charities of Minnesota said nearly 1,000 charities depend on charitable gambling, cited high taxes and fees, and said many organizations were seeing revenue declines after the new E-pull tab rules took effect. Dr. Christy Jano of the American Legion Department of Minnesota said charitable gambling funds support veterans, youth, and community programs, and that a flat 5% tax would help posts continue those efforts. Members asked about the size of the revenue drops and how much gambling proceeds go to overhead and operating costs; Jenner said the losses varied by organization and that it was too early to know the long-term effect, while Jano said some expenses are used for property taxes and building upkeep. The committee then moved on to additional testimony, including Tim Angstrom, but no final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• ROCK THAT WE HAVE LIMITED CHARITABLE GAMING.
• OR HOLD A LICENSE BY THE SEMINOLE TRIBAL GAMING COMMISSION.
• THEY MIGHT SEE IT IN A TRIBAL GAMING FACILITY.
• THIS IS NOT THE GAMING CONTROL COMMISSION WAREHOUSE.
• THE PROGRAMMERS ARE NOT USING LAWFUL GAMING TECHNOLOGY.

Keywords: 999, senate, all