A bill aiming to legalize statewide online sports betting in North Dakota has died in the state’s Senate. House Concurrent Resolution 3002 was thrown out on Monday following a 16-30 vote.

the latest in a string of unsuccessful sports betting bills

The House passed the measure back in January following a tight 49-44 vote. If the Senate had given the green light, the proposal would have been put to the public as part of the November 2024 general election ballot. This is the latest in a string of unsuccessful sports betting bills in North Dakota.

Legislators had recently attempted to amend the resolution so it would only permit wagering on professional sports, an approach not favored by the majority of state lawmakers.

Those who supported bringing legal online sports betting to North Dakota believe it would improve consumer protections and introduce oversight. According to American Gaming Association (AGA) figures, about 138,000 people in the state place illegal sports bets each year. The total annual betting handle is an estimated $300m, which means that offshore sportsbooks benefit from about $30m in revenue.

Despite the failure of this latest online wagering bill, North Dakota residents can still bet through tribal facilities as per a law enacted in December 2021.