The Show Me State has yet to legalize sports betting, however, it does have several casinos on the waterways of the Missouri and Mississippi state rivers.
On May 14, 2018, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned allowing each state in the country to propose and create their own laws and regulations for sports betting.
In 1994, the Missouri Riverboat Gambling Amendment was passed to allow riverboat casino gambling, thus expanding the state’s offerings to various table games, games of chance, and slots. Missourians may also find casinos in various “moats” or other bodies of water as laws allowing for riverboat casinos can be vague. Other gambling activities in Missouri include things like bingo, raffles, and the state lottery.
The Missouri House of Representatives gave approval to the latest sports betting bill, HB 2502, and the bill was just final Senate vote away from approval. Sadly, the Missouri sports betting bill did not pass, and will have to wait at least another year.
Until legal sports betting reaches Missouri, residents can take solace in the fact that they are virtually surrounded by states to the north, east, and south that have already legalized various forms of sports betting. Sports betting has been legalized in four of Missouri’s neighbor states: Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
When Will Online Sports Betting Be Legal in Missouri?
Should sports betting become legal in Missouri, the state already has 13 casinos that could begin offering in-person betting.
A bill was introduced in 2018 to allow these existing casinos, as well as daily fantasy companies, to begin offering sports betting also. The bill failed to advance past the committee stage and various other bills put forth in 2019 suffered similar fates.
Three bills, H 2318, H 2284, and H 2088, were introduced and cleared by the House committee in 2020. The bills allow for legalized in-person and online sports betting but differ in the number of tax rates that would be levied on operators.
While discussions still exist around things like who would regulate the industry and possible integrity fees to the leagues, unfortunately, these bills had to be shelved for 2020 as legislation was slowed due to COVID-19.
Because Missouri has America’s 11th largest casino market, lawmakers feel the pressure to compete with neighboring states.
You do not need to be a resident of a state to bet legally within it. Missouri residents who are 21+ can wager in any state where sports betting is authorized by law.
Latest Missouri Sports Betting News
Here’s all the latest and most important details on the legalization of Missouri sports betting:
- March 22, 2023: As expected, the House of Representatives approved Missouri sports betting bill HB 556 and its companion legislation HB 581 which will now move to the Senate for further discussions. A Missouri sports betting bill made it to the Senate in 2022, however it was derailed over the topic of VLTs, which could once again threaten the chances of legalization in 2023.
- March 21, 2023: The latest Missouri sports betting bill has been perfected in the House of Representatives and needs just one more approval in the chamber before heading into the Senate. Rep. Dan Houx’s (R-54) sports betting bills HB 556 and HB 581 to legalize retail and online sports betting for pro sports teams and state casinos will soon get its third hearing in the house before moving to the Senate.
- December 7, 2022: Missouri sports betting legislators are gearing up for a 2023 sports betting discussion. Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-21) and Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-34) have both pre-filed Missouri sports betting bills, with the state’s legislative season set to begin on Jan. 4, 2023.
- September 19, 2022: A new Missouri sports betting bill was introduced, and despite being a nearly line-by-line rewrite of HB 2502, the new legislation (HB 4) is unlikely to be heard this session.
- May 13, 2022: Missouri sports betting will have to wait at least another year, as HB 2502 failed to pass through the Senate.
- May 5, 2022: Even after an early-morning Senate hearing on standalone legislation from Sen. Denny Hoskins that did not include the topic of VLTs, the Missouri sports betting bill was ultimately withdrawn. Missouri has just over a week to legalize sports betting before the topic will have to wait another year.
- May 2, 2022: Despite advancing HB 2502 to the Senate floor, the latest Missouri sports betting legalization effort is limping towards the session finish line. There is contention over the potential removal of video lottery terminals (VLTs) in the Missouri sports betting bill, and the legislative season is set to wrap up on May 13, 2022.
- April 19, 2022: The Missouri sports betting bill took another important step forward towards legalization, as HB 2502 advanced to the Senate floor. The bill is expected to go through another vote in the Senate sometime over the next couple of weeks, and if it passes, will advance to the Governor’s table for a final signature.
- March 24, 2022: The Missouri retail and online sports betting legalization bill passed the final House of Representatives vote by a total of 115-33. The bill will now move to the Senate, and if approved, Missouri sports betting will be one signature away from becoming a reality.
- March 23, 2022: Missouri sports betting bill HB 2502, which would legalize retail and online sports betting, has been given preliminary approval from the Missouri House of Representatives. It will go to a third hearing and a vote before potentially moving through the Senate for approval.
Missouri Sports Betting FAQs
Is sports betting legal in Missouri?
Missouri state law currently prohibits wagering on sports, however, it does allow for gambling on things like bingo, lottery, pull tabs, and traditional casino gaming.
Do casinos in Missouri have to be on the water?
Casinos in Missouri, as per the Missouri Riverboat Gambling Amendment, must be either on or located near bodies of water.
Can I bet on sports online from Missouri?
At this time, you cannot bet on sports online.
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