Sports betting bills stack up in Missouri as two more filed in Show-Me-State

Two new bills have been introduced into the Missouri legislative agenda for 2023, as the Show Me State mulls a potential legalization of online sports betting.

House bills (HB) 581 and 556 join two other pieces of legislation aiming to pass, with competing bills focusing on sports betting and the usage of video lottery terminals (VLTs) in the state.

HB 581, sponsored by representative Phil Christofanelli, would scrap three sections of current Missouri law and enact 17 new statutes relating to sports betting.

Land-based casino operators would be allowed to partner with up to three online sports betting brands, rising to a limit of six for those bricks-and-mortar firms which operate multiple casinos.

Sports teams based in the state would also be allowed to partner with online sportsbooks subject to them being in leagues including the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS, WNBA or NWSL.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) is required to publish a list of official data providers for sportsbook operators, who can only use firms on this list when offering sports betting.

Potential licensees would be required to pay an application fee of $100,000 with annual renewal fees of $50,000. Operators would also be required to provide a responsible gambling plan with their respective application.

Suppliers would also be required to obtain licenses to operate in the state, with fees starting at $150,000 for an application and $125,000 in annual renewal fees, like their operator counterparts, a responsible gambling plan is also required.

Those awarded licenses would be subject to a 10% tax on revenue, with exemptions for revenue generated from promotions. Operators would also be required to pay $10,000 in costs during the fourth year of their licenses in connection with the potential renewal.

Bill 581 also stipulates a minimum $500,000 annual payment by the MGC to a fund aiming to prevent problem gambling in the state.

HB 556, sponsored by representative Dan Houx, is broadly speaking of the same make-up as its counterpart, but also includes so-called ‘prop bets’ on individual performances by college athletes.

In both cases, neither bill includes language regarding VLTs which is something included in a bill proposed by Senator Denny Hoskins, and something which became a major sticking point during moves to legalize the vertical in the last session.

Speaking to Missouri-based news site Local Today, Houx lauded a potential push for legalization of sports betting in the state in 2023, pending the ironing out some of its issues.

“I’ve always believed that video lottery and sports betting are two separate bills, so it’s just one bill for sports betting,” Houx said.

“We’re back, we’ll keep working hard on it. I believe it will be one of the top 10 bills to come out of the house this year,” he added.