North Dakota Lawmakers Nix Online Sports Betting Resolution
Fresh efforts to legalize online sports betting in North Dakota have been dealt a setback, as lawmakers rejected a bill that would have allowed the expansion of sports wagering in the state.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The new bill, House Concurrent Resolution 3002, was defeated in the North Dakota House of Representatives, with 63 lawmakers voting against it and 24 in favor. It joins the growing list of sports betting bills that have failed to pass in the state legislature since 2019.
However, the resolution included notable changes from earlier online sports betting legislations, including the unsuccessful bill in the 2023 legislative session. A key difference is its plan to direct sports betting revenue toward supporting K-12 public education in the state.
Irrespective of this gesture, lawmakers shot down the resolution, citing concerns about the detrimental impacts of gambling.
Opponents pointed to research highlighting the negative impact of online sports betting on college-age men, while the North Dakota University System and North Dakota Student Association also spoke against the bill.
Rep. Lawrence Klemin worried that online betting would siphon revenue away from North Dakota's charitable gambling.
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While the resolution wouldn’t have directly legalized sports betting, it would have let North Dakota voters decide on the issue in a statewide vote scheduled for November 2026. According to Rep. Scout Louser, the sponsor of the resolution, this was his exact intention as he hoped to “stave off a citizen-initiated measure on legalizing online sports betting.”
Louser noted that approving the bill would have allowed the Legislature to control the language and wording of the measure.
Presently, retail sports betting is permitted at tribally operated casinos in the state, while online wagering remains prohibited.
Charitable Gaming Faces New Restrictions
North Dakota also allows charitable gaming, however, a recent bill in the Senate seeks to limit the organizations that can conduct charitable gaming activities. The legislative push is prompted by the widespread deployment of electronic pull-tab machines across the state, which totaled nearly 5,250 units across 846 sites as of December 2024.
If passed, the bill, Senate Bill 2035, would restrict gambling operations to establishments that meet the qualifying criteria.
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