North Dakota lawmakers work to refine who can conduct charitable gambling

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 8:35 PM
  • Michael Achterling, North Dakota Monitor

A bill under consideration by North Dakota lawmakers would restrict which organizations qualify to conduct charitable gambling.

The discussion comes as electronic pull tab machines have proliferated in North Dakota, with 5,250 devices similar to slot machines at 846 sites across the state as of Dec. 31.

The Legislature’s interim Judiciary Committee proposed Senate Bill 2035 to define what qualifies as a “public spirited organization” and can conduct gambling. Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said the intent is to provide clarity and guard rails to limit unintended consequences of the charitable gambling industry.

“It’s a big, big money business,” said Myrdal, who chaired the interim committee.