Minnesota Gambling Law

“Games played with cards in private homes or residences in which no person makes money for operating the game, except as a player.”

Minnesota Gaming Control Board Info
MN Statutes for Lawful Gambling

Home poker games are specifically not mentioned in the laws that were created to regulate home gambling. But in the past couple of years there has been a wide acceptance by society of poker as a game of skill (although it still has a long way to go). Therefore, it stands to reason that anyone caught organizing or playing in a home poker game will probably not be punished to the full extent of the law. Whenever you think of the law then you must think of the letter of the law but also the spirit of the law. Most home gambling laws were created for 2 reasons: to protect citizens from developing dangerous gambling habits as a results of easy access to gambling establishments and to keep citizens from profiting by running a gambling establishment. Home poker games, for the most part, are not guilty of either of these things. As long as they are unraked and low-stakes they are harmless.

THEREFORE...
It is legal to host a game at your house as long as you are not profiting from it (also known as a rake).

Minnesota Statutes 2002
Lawful Gambling