Marketers with experience in online and mobile gaming may want to turn their attention to Minnesota.
According to new reports from sources out of Minneapolis, online real-money gaming may be on the horizon for Minnesota, which could open the floodgates of opportunity for the casino industry in the Midwest, one region largely overlooked by the expansion of online gambling.
For now, the talk surrounding online gambling is primarily limited to considerations being made by state lottery officials.
The Minnesota Lottery is expanding online offerings to include electronic versions of its lucrative scratch-off games. The move is designed to appeal to younger Minnesotans and boost the sale of traditional lottery tickets.
The Star Tribune reports that gambling opponents have now accelerated criticism of the Minnesota State Lottery, saying “an expansion into more online sales could increase addiction and usher in a new generation of gamblers.”
The same report notes that critics of online gambling are pushing lottery officials to secure approval from the Legislature before proceeding with these plans.
“If the lottery does not share our genuine apprehension of online gaming being detrimental to Minnesota citizens, they should have no problem successfully navigating the legislative process,” said Ted Lillie, president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.
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