VLT Responsible for Repeated Missouri Sports Betting Failure

• Missouri sports betting legislation faces major opposition in the Senate due to VLTs.
• Senator Denny Hoskins represents the main obstacle and insists VLTS be included with any sports betting legislature.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Frustrated Missouri sports betting advocates can blame their repeated despair on the Video Lottery industry and Senator Denny Hoskins. As the end of their 2023 legislative session approaches, Missouri legal sports betting hopes are looking bleak as urgency towards the topic has diminished.

Senator Denny Hoskins has blocked the legal passage for sports betting twice during his time in office. He expressed his feelings towards VLTs and sports betting on a Missouri radio network, explaining why he continues to resist sports betting legalization.

“I view them all as kind of one bill, one language…whether we talk about the video lottery terminals, whether we talk about sportsbook…it all relates to gambling and should be one discussion, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

While Hoskins insists on the package deal of sports betting and LVTs under the umbrella of gambling, other Missouri lawmakers have no intentions of pairing the two. During the recent Senate floor debate, Lawmakers shot down an amendment to standalone sports betting bill Senate Bill 30, that would add legal virtual lottery terminals

Professional Missouri sports teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis Cardinals are in support of Senate Bill 30, and have no opinion on VLT’s. Hoskins is persistent in filibustering any sports betting legislation that doesn’t include VLTs.

The electronic video games, or VLTs, located in various gas stations and other places throughout the state are in the gray area. The machines are currently unregulated, meaning Missouri residents are spending money with no tax benefits.

Senator Hoskins wants to change this; however, other Missouri lawmakers and sports teams are more focused on legal sports betting. Hoskins doesn’t seem like he will budge, meaning Missouri sports betting legislation will continue to struggle until Hoskins’ term ends in November of 2024.

News tags: Denny Hoskins | Kansas City Chiefs | Missouri | MO SB 30 | St. Louis Blues | St. Louis Cardinals