North Dakotans spend near double on electronic pull tabs

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — State data shows North Dakotans poured more than $1.3 billion into electronic pull tab machines in fiscal 2021, nearly double the amount spent in the previous fiscal year. According to the Attorney General’s Office, which oversees gambling in the state, Gamblers already have wagered more than $563 million in the first four months of the current fiscal year. North Dakota’s top gambling regulator believes pull tab activity should easily set another record again this year. Lawmakers approved the games in 2017 but they were not launched until August 2018. There are now more than 3,700 machines at over 700 sites in 51 of North Dakota’s 53 counties.