The Minnesota Racing Commission’s vote to legalize historic horse racing is illegal and will backfire on the state’s two race tracks as the Legislature considers legalizing mobile sports betting, bill sponsors said Wednesday.
“This was really poorly thought out and it’s not going to end well,” said Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, the lead sponsor of the House bill to legalize sports betting.
Late Monday, the commission approved historical horse racing (HHR) at the behest of the state’s two tracks: Canterbury Park in Shakopee and Running Aces in Columbus. HHR is a machine-based game that would generate cash for purses at the state’s two tracks.
