Charities lose if e-pull tabs are cut

In St. Paul, some out-of-touch politicians at the Legislature are working to eliminate electronic pull tabs and electronic gaming. House File 2366 calls for eliminating games that “display or simulate any other form of gambling, entertainment, slot machines, electronic video lotteries, or video games of chance.”

Since 2012, proceeds from e-pull tabs and electronic gaming have helped fund numerous charities across our state. Veterans’ groups, organizations for Minnesotans with disabilities and youth sports have all advanced their valuable missions with support from the proceeds provided by electronic gaming.

Some wonderful Mankato-area charities that have benefited from electronic gaming are the Govenaires Drum & Bugle Corps, the Mankato Area Hockey Association, the Mankato Area Youth Baseball Association, the Lake Washington Improvement Association, VFW Post 950 and Mankato Eagles Aerie 269.

In addition to having a devastating impact on local charities, HF 2366 would deliver a massive body blow to Minnesota’s bars and restaurants, the Vikings stadium reserve account and state and local government budgets.

In 2012, the state’s Indian tribes maintained that they would not oppose e-pull tabs as part of a compromise solution to fund U.S. Bank Stadium, which became the Vikings home as of 2016. After failing to eliminate e-pull tabs in the court system, the tribes and their legislative allies now want to do away with e-pull tabs through hurried and unwise legislation that fails to take into account the many benefits that electronic gaming provides to citizens of our great state.

HF 2366 passed the state House of Representatives on April 21 after being jammed through the committee process with very little public debate. Its Senate counterpart, Senate File 1863, is being pushed aggressively at the Capitol.

Now is the time for all of us to make our voices heard in opposition to HF 2366. This bill must be defeated in order to protect our state’s charities and small businesses that have already been shattered by the COVID pandemic.

But don’t take my word for it. Just look at the verbatim wording of the HF 2366 fiscal note. This is the bill that would eliminate electronic gaming in Minnesota.

The fiscal note for HF 2366 states that “All existing electronic pull-tab and linked bingo games will be prohibited under the proposed language. Therefore, all revenue ($1.3 billion per year) will be eliminated on those games.”

The fiscal note details that “Local bars selling electronic games will lose revenue” estimated at $29.25 million annually and that “Local wages for those conducting lawful gambling will be reduced” by an estimated $35.75 million annually. Finally, the note confirms that “Available funds for lawful (charitable) purposes will be reduced” by an estimated $33 million annually.

我们必须阻止这种攻击当地charities and their small business partners. They have been through so much heartache and turmoil since the pandemic was thrust upon them. Let’s stand by them and defeat HF 2366.

Unfortunately, Rep. Luke Frederick, DFL-Mankato, turned his back on our local charities and their small business partners by voting for HF 2366 in the House. Reps. Susan Akland, R-St. Peter, and Jeremy Munson, R-Lake Crystal, deserve our great thanks for voting against this deeply misguided bill. Sen. Nick Frentz has not voted on the bill yet.

Please contact Sen. Frentz and Rep. Frederick to voice your opposition to HF 2366 today.

John Lamm, Mankato, is gambling manager of the Lake Washington Improvement Association.