Edina City Council — Transcript
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Story
Edina moves to allow charitable gambling for first time
Votes (1)
Consideration of Amending Edina's Lawful Gambling Ordinance to Allow Charitable Gambling
The discussion centered on the rationale for allowing ongoing charitable gambling in Edina, citing its prevalence in other suburbs and its significant role as a fundraising mechanism across Minnesota. Proponents highlighted the potential for increased revenue streams for local businesses, city services (like mental health programs and facility upkeep), and local non-profits, including student groups. The proposed approach involves drafting a new ordinance that would initially allow up to three premise charitable gambling permits, with an intent to start cautiously and expand based on community needs.
Notable Quotes (2)
That is just one other way that we can tap into our community. It allows us to be able to not only support our local businesses that are craving the ability to be able to do this and bring more revenue streams into our local restaurants, also be able to offer our city another way to be able to bring in more funding. But for our local nonprofits to be able to feed back into our community, it allows our student groups to be able to get more funding. It allows us to be able to build up our revenue streams for things like our mental health programs, our student groups, our student athletes, um more upkeep in our student facilities, all of these things that every single year we run dry on. It's just one more way for us to improve every hornet every day.
In doing um my research, it really shows that uh most cities have probably no more than two or three premise permits. We don't know for sure what the need will be. So, it I think it makes sense for us to start out slowly and then ramp up as we see the needs of the community and the nonprofit uh organizations.
Ordinances & Resolutions (3)
The existing ordinance in Edina that is to be repealed and replaced.
The document staff will draft to allow ongoing charitable gambling.
Permits that would allow charitable gambling at specific locations, with an initial proposal for up to three.