Jan 29, 2023; Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, USA; Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gestures earlier than the snap towards the Cincinnati Bengals through the third quarter of the AFC Championship recreation at GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports activities
- The Missouri legislature reconvenes on March 20
- Each the Missouri Senate and Home of Representatives are contemplating sports activities betting payments
- Video lottery terminals won’t be included with sports activities betting
Missouri sports activities betting efforts appeared to shoot out of a cannon at first of the Present-Me state’s 2023 legislative session, however have slowed down significantly as each chambers are on break till March 20.
Each the Missouri Senate and Home of Representatives have sports activities betting payments scheduled for his or her perfection calendars, however neither chamber has given both items of laws a listening to on their flooring as of but.
State legislators will meet by way of Might 12, so the place do Missouri’s sports activities betting probabilities stand?
Missouri Senate Slowed by Filibuster
The ultimate two days of Missouri’s Senate session earlier than its spring break had been taken by Democratic Senators filibustering a invoice to ban gender-affirming healthcare for state minors. Senators spoke at size on the problem by way of the ultimate two days of the session earlier than adjourning for spring break a day early.
The Senate briefly reconvened on Wednesday, March 15, however sports activities betting was not addressed. So the place does that depart Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer’s sports activities betting invoice, SB 30, which seeks to legalize retail and on-line sports activities betting within the state when the session kicks again off on Monday?
Fortunately for sports activities betting hopefuls within the Present-Me state time remains to be on their aspect, as payments will nonetheless be thought of till Friday, Might 12.
SB 30 is presently on the Senate’s calendar of payments for “perfection,” which might see the doc known as to the Senate flooring for potential amendments. In spite of everything amendments are thought of, the invoice will both be permitted “as perfected” and transfer on to its third listening to, or it will likely be voted down and never transfer ahead.
Video Lottery Terminals Not Included
Luetkemeyer’s invoice seeks to legalize on-line and retail sports activities betting within the state, however doesn’t embody a video lottery terminal (VLT) aspect. The invoice units the sports activities betting tax charge at 10% of adjusted gross gaming income.
Missouri casinos, beneath SB 30, could conduct retail sports activities betting with as much as three individually branded interactive sports activities betting platforms. It might conduct on-line sports activities betting with as much as one interactive sports activities wagering platform.
Software charges for every license will value $100,000. A web-based sports activities betting platform can apply to the Missouri Gaming Fee to conduct sports activities wagering by way of an software charge to not exceed $150,000. Yearly after licensure, the platforms can submit a renewal charge to not exceed $125,000.
One other hopeful level? It appears as if Missouri lawmakers in each chambers have settled on coping with sports activities betting by itself, bifurcating it from the controversial VLT aspect that derailed its probabilities within the 2022 session.
The Senate Appropriations committee blocked a invoice from Sen. Danny Hoskins that may have legalized sports activities betting and video lottery terminals, a type of playing that may be allowed in sure state truck stops, relaxation stops, and sure companies which have a liquor license. The committee’s determination to maneuver forward a sports activities betting solely invoice probably provide us a glimpse into lawmakers’ pondering this session.
Hoskins’ invoice, SB 1, allowed for VLTs “in fraternal organizations, veterans’ organizations, and truck stops, as such phrases are outlined within the act, and in enterprise entities licensed to promote liquor by the drink.” VLTs would have been taxed at 36% and lottery services could be capped at 5 machines, with different entities at eight machines.
Whereas it looks as if excellent news that the Senate has divorced the 2 challenge, Hoskins has blocked sports activities betting laws earlier than that didn’t embody VLTs. He has alluded that he’ll do the identical this yr when the invoice is introduced up on the ground.
Ready on Perfection from Home of Reps
A really related sports activities betting invoice to Luetkemeyer’s presently sits within the Missouri Home of Representatives, ready for its likelihood to be known as for perfection. The Home briefly held a technical session on Thursday, March 16, however sports activities betting was not addressed.
Rep. Dan Houx (R-54) and Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-106) have similar items of sports activities betting laws which have made their approach by way of Home committees and presently are ready to be known as for perfection on the Home flooring.
The payments, HB 556 and HB 581, each of which is able to legalize retail and on-line sports activities betting for state casinos and Missouri skilled sports activities franchises, had been just lately permitted by the Guidelines Committee and had been moved to the Home. Each are on the Home’s casual schedule for perfection.
The payments have the backing of each skilled sports activities franchise within the state and a lot of the state casinos.
If permitted, the laws will enable Missouri casinos to associate with as much as three sports activities betting operators {and professional} sports activities franchises the flexibility to associate with as much as one operator. In-person sports activities betting will solely be accessible at state casinos.
The payments set the sports activities betting tax charge at 10% of adjusted gross income and don’t embody a VLT element.
So The place Does that Depart Missouri?
It probably leaves the Present-Me State with the perfect likelihood it has ever needed to legalize sports activities betting this yr. Each the Home and Senate appear to agree that sports activities betting mustn’t embody VLTs, which derailed 2022 efforts to legalize.
Each sports activities betting payments within the Senate and Home are related sufficient that any potential disagreements ought to have the ability to be ironed out earlier than the Might 12 deadline to push payments by way of.
Nevertheless, the VLT challenge nonetheless looms giant. Hoskins has blocked laws prior to now that has not included the legalization of VLTs, so it’s not out of the query that he’ll take the identical tact once more this yr.
