Bill in Missouri Proposes Sports Betting and Slots Legalization

Missouri is among the handful of states that are currently trying to legalize sports betting. The activity is already available in its neighboring states, including Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. The only state that doesn’t allow some form of betting on sports and borders Missouri is Oklahoma.

While lawmakers continue to make efforts toward legalizing sports betting, another issue arises in the state and this is the spread of illegal slot machines. Spread across the state, those machines operate without paying taxes or implementing any player protection measures, something that Missouri legislators are actively trying to change.

Currently, there are four bills in the Senate, as well as four bills in the House that look at the legalization of sports betting and gambling, such as slots.

Now, a recently introduced proposal looks into the legalization of slot gambling as well as sports betting. The bill was filed by Rep. Crystal Quade with the state House last Tuesday. Subsequently, the proposal was read for the second time last Wednesday. The proposal, House Bill 2835 (HB 2835), calls for the legalization of sports betting which would be regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission. The Commission would also be in charge of taxes and overseeing processes such as licensing.

Legal Betting and Gaming Will Generate Tax Revenue

On the other hand, the proposal also calls for the legalization of slot machines. While HB 2835 proposes statewide legalization of such machines, individual counties would be able to choose whether or not to permit such devices. Rep. Quade’s proposal seeks to make slot machines legal, impose taxes and ensure that they are fair.

Per HB2835, businesses that offer slot machines would have to position them in an area that is separate from their offering and cannot be reached by children. A limit of five slot machines per business would be implemented as well. Considering that Quade’s proposal gains traction, the state is expected to benefit from some $500 million in tax revenue.

Rep. Quade, who was recently interviewed by KY3, revealed that constituents from all across the state have contacted her with concerns regarding the spread of slot machines. “No matter where you go, whether it’s a gas station or walking through your neighborhood, they are everywhere. It’s quite a problem,” she said.

Moreover, Rep. Quade confirmed that since those unregulated machines won’t go away, the time has come for the state’s lawmakers to take action and implement regulations. Speaking about sports betting, she acknowledged the growth of the activity in neighboring states. According to Quade, her proposal will bring valuable tax revenue that will benefit public safety, education and other important state programs.