Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Running Aces' Controversial Table Games
The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Running Aces Casino Hotel Racetrack, allowing it to continue offering dealer-assist table games. The decision, announced on 22 January 2026, follows a legal challenge from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which argued these cool math games violated tribal gaming rights. The court's split ruling leaves the earlier decision intact, confirming the crazy games as legal under state law.
The dispute began when the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community filed a lawsuit against Running Aces, one of only two Minnesota racetracks permitted to host games. The tribe claimed that dealer-assist games—where players use electronic terminals alongside a live dealer—amounted to illegal electronic gaming, breaching tribal exclusivity agreements. Running Aces, however, defended the games as skill-based table gambling, not electronic slots or similar machines.
The Minnesota Supreme Court reached a 3-3 deadlock, meaning the lower court's ruling stood without a formal opinion. That earlier decision classified dealer-assist games as card-based table gaming, not electronic gambling. The racetrack currently offers two such games: Aces Live and Community Card Blackjack. Fred Goldberg, the attorney representing Running Aces, welcomed the outcome. He described the ruling as crucial for the racino's card room operations, ensuring the games could continue without interruption. The tribe, however, maintained that the decision contradicted Minnesota law and undermined their gaming rights.
With the Supreme Court's split vote, Running Aces will keep its dealer-assist games running. The ruling does not set a broader legal precedent but allows the racetrack to maintain its current offerings. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has not indicated whether it will pursue further legal action.
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