- Two Missouri Senate Bills would combine to allow for mobile wagering and sports betting at video lottery terminals.
- The bills are both sponsored by Republican State Senator Denny Hoskins.
RIVERSIDE, Mo. – Sports betting in Missouri has been debated between state officials since the start of this legislative session. Now, the Riverside mayor is voicing her stance against Missouri Senate Bill 43 and Senate Bill 44.
Both bills have been introduced by Missouri Senator Denny Hoskins, who plans to combine them into one proposal. MO SB 43 would legalize video lottery terminals at retail locations, while MO SB would permit wagering on both collegiate and professional sports.
While sports bettors would potentially be able to place their wagers through these machines, they would still have to register in person at one of the state’s casinos.
“The reception has actually been pretty good, especially with the amount of money generated, net new revenue to the state,” said Hoskins.
The Warrensburg based Senator estimates that a possible increase of $150 million in tax revenue could be seen through this type of gaming alone.
However, Riverside Mayor Kathy Rose doesn’t agree with these projections. She fears for the safety of sports bettors, the local economy, and the local employment rate.
“We’re not going to have near the oversight and regulation that we currently have. Legislators are hoping this is a cure for something. For our city, number one, it means that they’re going to lose jobs,” said Rose.
Riverside is home to Argosy Casino, which is where Hoskins hopes sports bettors in the area will have to go to in order to register for legal sports betting.
Rose believes that having the activity held outside the casino will only hurt the gaming facility’s profits and any revenues collected from sports wagers at video lottery terminals would only be a redistribution of those lost profits.
Both bills are on the Senate Informal Calendar and are set for a review in the coming weeks. Hoskins hopes to have a vote on them shortly after. Tax revenue collections in MO are currently down 5.4 percent from last year, which may affect how legislators view the bill.
Advertising Disclosure
In order to provide you with the best independent sports betting news and content LegalSportsBetting.com may receive a commission from partners when you make a purchase through a link on our site.
News tags: Missouri | Missouri sports betting | MO SB 43 | MO SB 44
– In his career, Hasan has worked both local and state government positions—including the Attorney General’s Office in Florida. On top of being familiar with the legislative process, he has also been researching and writing on the legality of sports betting across the US. Outside of work you’ll most likely find him producing or playing music, playing sports, or working on creative writing projects. You’ll also catch him at Doak Campbell Stadium cheering on the Noles.
College Football Betting
Best Online Sports Betting
Best Legal NFL Betting
States With Legal Sports Betting
Sports Betting Events
