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Council approves ordinance allowing up to five lawful gambling locations per organization, limited to local trade area
Summary
The Blaine City Council voted to let nonprofit organizations operate up to five lawful gambling locations, removing an outside-waiver and limiting eligibility to the city's defined trade area; council discussed impacts on smaller nonprofits before adoption.
The Blaine City Council on June 1 adopted an ordinance raising the number of lawful gambling locations a nonprofit may operate in the city from four to five, restricted to organizations operating within the city’s statutory trade area.
Council members debated whether expanding the cap would advantage large operators such as Blaine Youth Hockey or unduly restrict smaller nonprofits. Council Member Masolia, who moved the ordinance, framed the change as a city-wide policy available to all eligible groups in the trade area rather than a special exception for a single club. “It allows each of the clubs access to the entire trade area and up to the five licenses,” Masolia said during the discussion.
Members emphasized limiting the change to the trade area — which the clerk clarified includes Circle Pines, Ham Lake, Lexington, Mounds View, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park and adjacent communities — and removing the waiver that previously allowed some outside organizations to operate in Blaine. Clerk Sorensen told the council any organizations previously granted waivers would continue to operate until a material change occurred (for example, relocation or revocation of premises).
Public commenters urged caution. Bill Hammes of the Spring Lake Park Youth Hockey Association told council that allowing a single organization to expand could make it harder for smaller nonprofits to secure host locations. “By increasing the limit from 4 locations to 5, the city will be granting an additional opportunity to an organization that is already one of the largest charitable gambling operators in the region,” Hammes said during open forum.
Supporters on council said the market dynamics and business decisions by host establishments — not automatic entitlement — shape whether new locations actually appear. Council Member Nuland (Newland) said relationships between nonprofits and host businesses often determine whether a site is viable.
The motion to allow up to five locations per organization, limited to the trade area and without the waiver, passed by voice vote. The ordinance moves forward under the city’s standard adoption process.
