Restaurants and bars would lose $30 million.Jobs would be lost, with $35 million in lost wages.

Local charities would lose $33 million.

The American Legion Department noted that when this was proposed in 2021, a state fiscal note said: “Minnesota loses if e-tabs are scaled back.” “From offsetting the effects of poverty to aiding youth programs and from purchasing life-saving firefighting equipment to solving veteran homelessness, e-tabs have helped overcome rising costs across the board,” the organizations said in a news release. The American Legion Department and Allied Charities of Minnesota heeded the call, noting that e-tabs are crucial for the many small charitable gambling operations all across the state in their missions to help their communities. Nick Frentz of North Mankato called on organizations to let lawmakers know that e-tabs shouldn’t be scaled back. The Court of Appeals’ decision could renew a legislative push to clarify the law, explicitly banning the open-all feature.Īt an American Legion regional conference in Rochester on Feb. The Court of Appeals reversed an administrative law judge's decision that found the open-all provision was legal. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community brought the matter to the appeals court after initially challenging the open-all function in 2019, according to the story. In effect, it makes the e-tab machines look more like slot machines – which American Indian tribes are allowed to operate exclusively, according to a Feb. This allows players to push a button that sets off cascading rows of animated characters and allows players to win bonus rounds. In fact, in 2015, Herby’s Bar, Grill and Café in Carlos was ranked eighth in the state for top sales of e-pull tabs by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board, according to an Echo Press story at the time.īecause of a recent Court of Appeals’ decision, the Legislature is considering to ban a feature on some e-tab machines – an “open-all” feature. A steady source of revenue for nonprofit organizations in Minnesota – proceeds from electronic pull-tabs – might be reduced.Į-tab machines are set up in bars and restaurants all around the state, including a few locations in Douglas County.

Are pull tabs donations or gambling