Electronic Pulltabs Approved For Minnesota Airport

The state of Minnesota has been looking for a way to keep their beloved Vikings from relocating to another NFL city. On Monday, the approval of pulltab electronic gambling at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport moved the state closer to reaching that goal.

For several years lawmakers have been searching for funding for a new Vikings stadium. The electronic pulltab machines were one way the state came up with to subsidize the stadium. The tax revenue from the machines is being counted on to provide the nearly $350 million the state is on the hook for to build the new stadium.

Vikings owner Ziggy Hood will have to provide the rest of the funding, and the agreement should keep the Vikings in Minnesota long-term. Minnesota has been home to the Vikings since the NFL created the team.

Two vendors have previously been approved by the Minnesota Gambling Control Board to operate the pulltab machines. The games played on the machines would be an electronic version of the pulltab games that are offered in many states through the lottery.

One of the companies, E-tab Manufacturing, is expected to start delivering the machines to retailers by the end of the week. While the preparation has begun for the games, the state has not officially signed off on the new form of gambling yet. That is expected to take place in the early part of 2013.

Airports have become somewhat of a hotbed for slot-type machines across the US over the past few years. With travelers facing long layovers at times, the machines provide a way for states to capitalize on visitors coming in and out of the airports.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been in favor of allowing slots at Chicago airports. A bill that would have made such allowances passed last year in Illinois, only to be vetoed by Governor Pat Quinn.