Minnesota Bill Would Allow Veterans Groups More Control of Legal Gambling Proceeds

A recent Minnesota bill proposed would allow veterans groups greater latitude in how much they spend and where they use proceeds from legal gambling activities like bingo, raffles, and more.

Vets Would Get a Bigger Say

Representative Kristin Robbins has sponsored a bill, HF753, that would allow veterans groups more control of the profits they make in the legal gambling activities they are allowed to conduct under Minnesota law. The revised law would permit these veteran organizations to use up to 50% of those funds on repair, maintenance, and renovation projects at their facilities.

Moreover, the bill would allow the Minnesota Gaming Control Board the right to approve more than 50% of those funds in the event of extraordinary circumstances. Currently, the veterans’ groups are limited in how much of the funds they can use on upgrading and maintaining their legion halls and facilities. These centers are also rented out for a variety of events, and if the buildings become derelict, customers will look for alternative venues.

The bill also has a caveat that states funds must be used by July 1, 2031, so that gambling proceeds cannot be hoarded. The money must be reinvested into the buildings to maintain their viability and aesthetic appearance in the community they serve. This would also shield the taxpayers from footing the bills on these costly projects.

Reinvestment Pays Dividends

An ideal example of how this bill would work comes in the form of the Buffalo American Legion Post, which spent $400,000 on renovations and repair of its facility. The upgrades included repairing bathrooms, replacing carpeting, and building soundproof doors to shield neighbors from noisy events.

“Since the project was completed in 2021, we have had several weddings, many celebrations of life, graduation, birthday, anniversary parties, private company events, Chamber of Commerce events, and post events such as fish fry, veterans’ breakfast, honor guard dinners, children and youth summer and Christmas events,” the post’s gambling manager, Joe Herzog, wrote in a letter.

“These events produce revenue for our post, and in June 2025, we will host the American Legion 10th District Convention in our event hall. … In our small town of Buffalo, our post building serves many purposes in our community, not just members and our post meetings.”

Why This Bill Matters

Under Representative Robbins’ proposal, $40,000 could have been allocated to the project, which would have been a welcome contribution at the time.

Department of Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) state adjutant-quartermaster Barry Henriksen stated, “This bill doesn’t cost the taxpayers anything; it just allows us to be able to make these improvements. If they go away, the community loses.”

Should this bill pass, it could very well be used as a blueprint for other veteran groups throughout the nation. The spirit of the law is to give those veteran groups’ leadership the ability to reinvest in their posts, which will ultimately attract everything from more weddings to pancake breakfasts and civic events. This will, in theory, bolster revenues, which will in turn provide greater financial independence for veterans’ organizations.