Introduction to Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021
Minnesota slot machine casino gambling consists of nineteen tribal casinos.
I’ve dedicated this weekly series to slot enthusiasts such as yourself as you master casino slots and win your way to success by using this State-By-State Online Resource to improve your slots gambling performance by reviewing your state’s slots gaming industry.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Minnesota
The minimum legal gambling age in Minnesota depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 18 or 21 if alcohol is available
- Poker Rooms: 18
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
The Minnesota House Research Department has documented the convoluted history of legalizing gambling from 1945 to 2005 in Gambling in Minnesota: A Short History.
Tribal-state gaming compacts established tribal gaming regulations for Minnesota’s eleven federally recognized American Indian tribes, the first to do so of any U.S. state. Twenty-two negotiated compacts have produced nineteen tribal casinos in the state.
Each tribe has two compacts, one for video games-of-chance and a second compact for card games. Tribal casinos operate under a combination of state law, tribal ordinance, and tribal-state compacts.
These gaming compacts permit non-video Class III Vegas-style, games-of-chance, slot machines. Class II games-of-skill machines are unregulated.
Explicitly prohibited are blackjack and non-banked card games such as poker and video games-of-chance. Also banned are electronic video games like video poker, video keno, video slots, and others.
The gaming compacts stipulate the Minnesota Department of Public Safety is responsible for the inspection and approval of these video gaming machines. Both parties agreed that the compacts should be effective in perpetuity, but re-negotiations can occur if desired by both parties.
Minnesota makes all tribal-state compacts publicly available at Tribal-State Gaming Compacts, consisting of 100 downloadable pdf files including their associated renewals and updates.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Minnesota
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in Minnesota.
![Upper Sioux Agency Teepee [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Gaming Control Board in Minnesota
Minnesota has six gaming control boards for various aspects of gambling oversight. The gaming compacts provide for inspection and approval of video gaming machines by the Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AEGD).
Further, compact gaming regulations approve the licensing casino employees, machine payout percentages, and regulation of the play of blackjack as well as:
- Licensing of manufacturers and distributors of gambling devices.
- Gambling criminal enforcement and investigation.
- Assure compliance with tribal-state compacts.
![North Shore of Lake Superior [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/3-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Casinos in Minnesota
Minnesota has nineteen American Indian tribal casinos.
The largest casino in Minnesota is Mystic Lake Casino Hotel.
The second-largest casino is Treasure Island Resort and Casino.
Commercial Casinos in Minnesota
Minnesota’s two pari-mutuel racetracks do not offer gaming machines of any classification.
Tribal Casinos in Minnesota
Minnesota’s 19 tribal casinos are:
- Black Bear Casino Resort in Carlton, 22 miles southwest of Duluth.
- Fond-du-Luth Casino near downtown Duluth.
- Fortune Bay Resort & Casino in Tower, 91 miles north of Duluth.
- Grand Casino Hinckley, 82 miles north of Minneapolis.
- Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Onamia, 97 miles north of Minneapolis.
- Grand Portage Lodge Casino, 144 miles northeast of Duluth a few miles from the Canadian border.
- Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel in Morton, 113 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
- Little Six Casino in Prior Lake, 26 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
- Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, 27 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
- Northern Lights Casino & Hotel in Walker, 128 miles west of Duluth.
- Palace Casino & Hotel in Cass Lake, 140 miles northwest of Duluth.
- Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort in Granite Falls, 129 miles west of Minneapolis.
- Seven Clans Casino Red Lake, 180 miles northwest of Duluth.
- Seven Clans Casino Thief River Falls, 235 miles northwest of Duluth.
- Seven Clans Casino Warroad, 251 miles northwest of Duluth a few miles from the Canadian border.
- Shooting Star Casino Bagley, 186 miles northwest of Duluth.
- Shooting Star Casino Hotel in Mahnomen, 211 miles west of Duluth.
- Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Welch, 46 miles southeast of Minneapolis.
- White Oak Casino in Deer River, 99 miles northwest of Duluth.
![Minnesota Casinos Map [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Minnesota slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Minnesota is:
- North: The Canadian Provinces of Manitoba and Ontario
- East: Wisconsin Slots and, across Lake Superior, Michigan Slots
- South: Iowa Slots
- West: North Dakota Slots and South Dakota Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Minnesota.
![Minnesota on a U.S. Map [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Our Minnesota Slots Facebook Community
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Minnesota? If so, join our Minnesota slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group community.
There, you can meet online and privately share your slots experiences with local slots enthusiasts about playing slot machines in Minnesota. Join us!
![Minnesota Slots Community [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/6-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Payouts and Returns in Minnesota
Minnesota’s negotiated state-tribal gaming compacts have set minimum and maximum theoretical payouts for slot machines at 80% and 95% over the lifetime of the game.
Further, video keno and similar games must have a minimum theoretical payout limit of 75% for each number of spots marked per wager.
Video games of chance affected by player skill such as video poker and video blackjack have a minimum and maximum theoretical payout requirement of 83% and 98% over the lifetime of the game. These limits assume optimal play.
Minnesota’s tribal casinos don’t offer publicly available return statistics.
![Minneapolis-St Paul at Sunset [Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021]](https://professorslots.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/7-Minnesota-slot-machine-casino-gambling.jpg)
Summary of Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2021
Minnesota slot machine casino gambling consists of nineteen tribal casinos.
Annual Progress in Minnesota Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, there has been little to no change to the slots gaming industry in Minnesota.
