Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville) is a long-time opponent of legalizing expanded gambling in Minnesota, but so far says the negative aspects of sports betting and other forms of gaming haven’t gotten enough attention — even after about 30 Senate and House hearings.

“Unfortunately, none of them have focused on the health, economic, social harms that can result on Minnesota families and so on,” Marty said after gaveling in the Senate Finance Committee to do just that. Marty brought in national experts on problem gambling.

“We call it the ‘big con,’” says Les Bernal of an organization called Stop Predatory Gambling. “Many of the arguments from proponents, they all fall under this big umbrella, the ‘big con.’”

Bernal says too many proponents of expanded gambling try to portray sports gambling companies as regular businesses.

“When we compare this business to a Starbucks, or a local restaurant or going to a Minnesota Vikings game, it’s the antithesis of that,” Bernal told lawmakers. “This is a business that is based on taking you down. It’s an adversarial relationship. That’s true for all forms of commercialized gambling that is being done for profit.”

A sports betting bill supporter on the finance committee pushed back against some of the testimony.

“The simple fact is we’ve had testimony this morning ignoring the fact many Minnesotans want to do this,” said Sen. Nick Frentz (DFL-North Mankato). “I just want to remind the members on the panel that a principal partner in our attempt to legalize sports betting are the Native American tribes of Minnesota, and to the extent that the testimony was that they were trying to take people down, that it was a big con, I think we should consider more nuanced language. I think those Native American tribes are tremendous partners.”

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The Senate author of a sports betting bill this year, Sen. Matt Klein (DFL-Mendota Heights) said in a statement about the hearing, “The bill I will introduce in the Senate has the most rigorous protections against problem gambling and underage gambling in the nation. If passed, this bill will make Minnesota the safest state for legal sports wagering in the country.”

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The Minnesota Legislative session opens on Tuesday.