Missouri sports activities betting laws made progress this week within the state Home of Representatives. The statute faces unsure odds because it strikes to the Normal Meeting’s higher chamber.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes (#15) and Travis Kelce have fun a landing in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals in the course of the AFC Championship sport on Jan. 30, 2022. Missouri sports activities betting stays on maintain, however laws to permit such playing made progress this week within the Jefferson Metropolis capital. (Picture: Getty)
Home Invoice 556 was launched in January by state Rep. Dan Houx (R-Warrensburg). The laws, which seeks to permit the state’s 13 riverboat casinos to function sports activities betting in-person and on-line, is bipartisan with three Republican and two Democratic co-sponsors.
After gaining approval within the Missouri Home Rising Points and Legislative Oversight Guidelines committees, HB556 obtained a full flooring vote within the Home of Representatives on Wednesday. The gaming growth measure garnered sturdy majority assist with a 118-35 vote.
The statute has since been directed to the Senate the place it awaits a committee task.
Senate Odds Unknown
Missouri Normal Meeting lawmakers have been laboring to move a sports activities betting invoice practically because the US Supreme Court docket struck down the federal ban on single-game wagering in Could 2018, returning the facility of figuring out the legality of such playing to the states.
If it weren’t for state Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg), Missouri sports activities betting would seemingly already be authorized. After the Home handed a sports activities betting invoice final 12 months, Hoskins filibustered the laws within the higher chamber on grounds that any growth of gaming within the Present-Me State ought to embody the liberalization of skill-gaming machines. The controversial slot-like gaming units are generally present in eating places and bars.
Hoskins has hinted that he won’t take such an obstructive method this 12 months, however nothing is ready in stone.
Houx says Missouri ought to legalize sports activities betting to maintain such cash contained in the state as an alternative of flowing into neighboring jurisdictions the place sports activities playing is regulated.
It’s the residual tax income we’re shedding out on. When individuals go to Kansas or Illinois or Iowa, wherever they go, and so they spend cash in these different states, that’s income we’re actually lacking out on,” Houx instructed KWOS Information Radio this week.
Missouri borders extra authorized sports activities betting states in Nebraska to the west and Arkansas to the south.
GeoComply, a business-to-business iGaming agency that gives on-line sportsbooks with participant location detection companies, stated it blocked greater than 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 entry makes an attempt from individuals positioned in Missouri in the course of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl win final month.
Sports activities Betting Particulars
If Houx’s HB556 turns into regulation, casinos would want to pay the state a one-time $100K licensing price for the fitting to function a retail sportsbook. Brick-and-mortar sportsbook permits can be renewed annually at $50K.
Every on line casino can be allowed to tether its sports activities betting privilege to as many as three on-line sportsbook platforms.
Interactive sportsbooks would want to pay the state a $150K preliminary licensing price and renew the allow yearly for $125K. HB556 would tax sports activities betting income at 10% throughout the board.
A minimal of $500K yearly from the related tax receipts below HB566 would want to go towards the state’s Compulsive Gamblers Fund.
The angle among the many common public in Missouri relating to sports activities playing is combined. A ballot launched earlier this month by Saint Louis College together with polling agency YouGov discovered that solely 35% of Missourians consider the state ought to permit sports activities betting.
