Confusion Reigns Over Missouri Sports Betting Bill

Missouri’s protracted journey towards establishing a local sports betting marketplace could be subject to even further delay. Senator Denny Hoskins, one of the chief political advocates of pushing through some form of sportsbook legislation, is currently locked in discussions around a ‘compromise amendment’ added to House Bill 2502, a proposal whose original detail was approved by the House in March.

Hoskins’ challenge hinges on the introduction of VLT’s (Video Lottery Terminals), endorsing the amendment’s proposal of legalizing 5,000 of these machines to descend on various venues throughout the state. Casino operators, who have received the backing of Hoskins’ Republican colleague Senator Mike Bernskoetter, are keen to block this move in order to protect all possible internal revenue channels.

House Bill 2502, which received 115 endorsements versus 33 votes against, would see The Show-Me State’s riverboat casino concessionaires and professional sports franchises able to create online sportsbook platforms in partnership with betting brands. However, Hoskins’ battle with casino lobbyists on the VLT element of the amendment threatens to derail the whole process, with the proposed bill still stuck in the debating phase. The Republican official blamed this development on ‘casino greed’.

Hoskins is convinced that the implementation of VLT’s would serve to reduce the increasing presence of ‘gray machines’, which are unregulated and therefore undermine player protection standards. Furthermore, he believes that VLT’s would generate a colossal $45m per annum in gross gaming revenue.

The compromise amendment would also see the tax leveraged on prospective sports betting operators raised from 8% to 10%.

Whether Hoskins concedes grounds to the casinos, and accepts Bernskoetter’s request to remove VLT terminology from the amendment is unknown. However, if this is to be the case, Hoskins will need to act fast, otherwise risk missing the opportunity of securing any sports betting legislation prior to the end of this political session.