JEFFERSON CITY — A parade of top officials with Missouri’s professional sports teams called on state lawmakers Wednesday to legalize sports betting.
But even with a formidable lobbying effort by the teams and the state’s 13 casinos, there still remains uncertainty about the final outlines of a plan.
And with the Senate moving at a glacial pace this year, it remains unclear whether there is enough juice behind the effort to get a framework across the finish line by the Legislature’s May 13 adjournment.
Under legislation proposed by Sen. , R-Warrensburg, for example, sports betting could generate an estimated $163 million in tax revenue for the state based on a tax rate of 21%.
Other proposals in the legislative pipeline would bring in less money because the tax rates, fees and betting structures are lower or more restrictive.
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At a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday, Bill DeWitt III, president of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals, said the team is pleased that the issue is being debated but wouldn’t commit to backing Hoskins’ version.
“We’re supportive of his efforts,†DeWitt said.
Anne Scharf, a vice president of the Kansas City Chiefs, said the team supports the move to bring sports betting to Missouri.
“All sides have worked very hard for a considerable amount of time to reach a compromise,†Scharf told the committee.
And Jason Thein, legal counsel for the ºüÀêÊÓƵ City soccer club, said legalizing sports wagering would make it safer for those who want to bet on games.
“We think it’s important to shine a regulatory light on what we know is already happening in the state,†Thein said.
But in a sign that there is still work to do on the proposal, Mike Winter, executive director of the , said the state’s 13 casinos are concerned about the tax rates and fees in Hoskins’ bill, as well as some of the provisions allowing various specialty bets to be placed.
While the Senate is debating various proposals, the House also is working to bring legislation to the floor.
The House version could bring in more than $96 million in revenue to the state and another $10.8 million to local governments.
Under the House plan, each of Missouri’s 13 casinos could offer wagering on sports, including college sports, while the teams also could offer betting at their stadiums through partnerships with sports betting websites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.
The revenue estimates are based on fees paid by the teams and companies and a 10% tax rate on bets.
The push for sports betting was put on a fast track in January, when Missouri’s pro sports teams and representatives of its gambling casinos announced they had reached an agreement to lobby together to have the state join 32 others, including Illinois, that have legalized wagering on competitive events.
Until a 2018 court case, full-scale sports betting was illegal in all states except Nevada. Some states moved quickly to get sports betting and its tax proceeds on the books. Illinois legalized it in June 2019.
The effort has been stalled in the Legislature for four years over disagreements on how to rid the state of unregulated, illegal slot machines that have flooded gas stations, truck stops and bars in recent years.
On Wednesday, Hoskins also outlined his plan to legalize video lottery games in an effort to generate as much as $240 million in new revenue to the state.
Hoskins’ legislation would make the current slew of unregulated slot machines operating in gas stations and bars across the state illegal.
“Unfortunately, these games are not regulated by the state,†Hoskins said.
Any business allowing the use of any prohibited gaming terminal would be subject to felony charges and a fine of $10,000.
Under Senate Bill 642, the machines must be placed in a separate room and connected to a centralized computer. The maximum bet would be $5, and no one younger than 21 could play.
The state tax rate for the machines would be 36%.
Originally posted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 9.Â