As Ohio set the bar by joining the sports betting industry on New Year’s Day via universal launch, many other states look to follow suit. Can Missouri avoid the hurdles the advocates dealt with in the previous legislative session?
Sports Betting Will Be the Top Priority in the Show-Me State
Everything looked to be on track last year, as many experts believed that if Kansas or Missouri passed a sports wagering bill, the other would follow shortly. However, the dream was derailed as the bill stalled in the Senate chamber.
Legalized sports gambling will be one of the top priorities for the state as there is some optimism surrounding the operation. On Wednesday, Senator Denny Hoskins received the first reading for SB 1 in the Senate. The details were quite simple as the bill aims to regulate video game terminals, an issue debated in previous legislative sessions. In addition, the bill also seeks to legalize mobile sports gambling.
On the opposite side of the two chambers, Representative Dan Houx was given the honors for the first reading of HB 556 in the House. The bill essentially has the same principles from last year as it stalled in the Senate.
In addition to adding more to the cause, Sen. Denny Hoskins wants to provide bettors with more choices. The professional sports franchise and casino coalition are opposed to adding video lottery terminals or VLTs for short.
The Bill is Basically the Same From Last Year
HB 2502 lost steam along the way last year, and this year’s bill has similar writings in the script. The bill would create 39 mobile sports betting options and would allow for retail sportsbooks at the 13 riverboat casinos.
On the other hand, there are slightly noticeable differences this year. The tax revenue would jump up from eight percent to 10 percent. Regardless of how an individual perceives this, it will be one of the lowest tax rates in the country.
Another vital distinction is the language involving collegiate sports wagering. The initiative will prohibit consumers from placing bets on prop bets involving student-athletes. There are many states in the industry that prohibit public betting on in-state collegiate teams and prop bets.
On Wednesday, Representative Phil Christofanelli introduced HB 581, which aims to legalize sports betting both online and at Missouri casinos. This is the third time that Christofanelli has introduced such legislation in the past three legislative sessions. The initiatives have passed through the House chamber but failed to get enough support in the Senate chamber.
Missouri Will Not Want to Fall Behind Kansas Even Further
Missouri and Kansas had a strong rivalry heading into their respective legislative sessions in 2022. The Sunflower State was victorious, as the Show-Me State failed in the last minutes.
According to the numbers in the monthly reports, Kansas has exceeded expectations in the first three months of operation. As a result of geolocation technology, many wagers were rescinded as many bettors in Missouri tried to place bets in Kansas.
