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Missouri Sports Betting Bill Derailed by VLTs in the Senate, Again!
By Jeff Osienya Apr 09, 2023 LegalitySen. Hoskins has once again pulled every trick in the book to crush Missouri’s journey towards a regulated sports betting market due to VLTs. The setae’s sports betting measure was marred by amendments and a filibuster that prevented any actual progress.The convoluted world of Missouri Sports betting faced yet another hurdle as Senate Bill 30 was bombarded with amendments in an apparent attempt to derail the process. The filibuster move was choreographed by none other than Senators Donny Hoskins, along with Bill Eigel and Nick Schorer.
With the House already passing the sports Betting bill, public chatter had anticipated the fireworks that would come out of the Senate process, and boy, did it not disappoint. Once again, Sen. Denny Hoskins made good on his threats to amend the bill to death, just like last year when the VLTs matter came up in a similar attempt to pass sports betting legislation.
The Touchy VLTs Question
Barely a year after the VLTs topic derailed another sports betting bill in the Show-Me state, we are at yet another standstill situation on the VLTs topic. Senator Danny Hoskins has been at the forefront of advocating for the inclusion of the machines. For instance, earlier in the year, the Senator attempted to present a bill that included language favorable to VLTs.
While this measure was stopped dead in its tracks through a vote in the Upper House, the unsuccessful attempt did not dissuade the Senator from trying again. He attempted re-introducing VLT language in the current bill during the committee stage. However, the Committee voted 20-11 against the proposed amendment.
True to his MO, Hoskins was not done with his spirited fight for the inclusion of VLTs, championing this edition of the bill until the proposers had to pull it from debate. The attempt was choreographed and so brazen, so much so that Hoskins was quoted saying, “Are you pulling this, or am I taking three more hours?”
What followed was a filibuster move that included even quoting President Reagan’s biography. A true master of the dark arts, Hoskins’s move elicited furious reactions from other legislators keen for the bill to sail through. This is understandable, though, because the Senate ended up altering the sports betting bill for 5 hours trying to accommodate and reach a compromise with the pro-VLTs team. At the end of the day, what was left, was a true Frankenstein’s monster that in no way resembled the initial bill.
Senator Karla May, another senator who has been advocating for the inclusion of VLTs in the sports betting legislation, also brought forth an amendment of its own. The adjustment would allow sports betting in restaurants and bars, essentially taking the VLT route. Unfortunately for the Missouri senator, her proposed change to the measure was struck down by a 14-18 vote against it. May vehemently defended the amendment and its benefits to small businesses. She said:
Quote“I’m sick of everybody talking about casinos. They done made big money, and they done made big money off VLTs too. And so, they want to keep making money, but I’m not seeing no community impact from the money that they making. So, why can’t small businesses make money?”
Amendments Okayed in the Contentious Sports Betting Bill
A few of the updates adopted during the long-drawn-out process included;
- The fee that brick-and-mortar casinos pay for the admission of customers was changed from the previous $2 to $4. There was also room left for this fee to be changed depending on the underlying inflation climate.
- The tax rate was increased to 15%
- Missouri-based Real Time Fantasy Sports to play host for peer-to-peer sports wagers
- There was also a clause to inform professional player associations of any ongoing investigations relating to one of their players
- Addition of a $4 admission fee paid by casinos for every two hours people wager on sports through a sportsbook app.
Among these key amendments, the online admission fee drew the most criticism, with Rep Luetkemeyer pointing out some of the flaws of the said fee. He remarked:
Quote“In the event that someone places a bet on the St. Louis Cardinals mobile sports betting app, a casino has to pay a $4 when somebody bets on the Cardinals app even though the casino is deriving no economic benefit from that bet. Does that make any sense to you?”
A Speck of Hope Remains for Missouri’s Sports Betting Bill?
Due to the spirited efforts of the likes of Senator Hoskins and Karla May, the bill was placed on the informal calendar, and no vote was taken. Thus, while the bill is still active, it is not up for discussion. Nonetheless, this doesn’t automatically mean that sports betting has evaded Missouri until at least next year. There are two similar bills to this one on the way – House Bills 556 and 881. These House Bills still sit in the Senate, and it remains to be seen whether they have a chance of carrying the day.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers have until May 9th to find a solution to Hoskins’ side and their demands. However, the likelihood of both sides of the divide agreeing remains slim, with both parties offering little evidence of compromise. The pro-VLT group stays committed to its filibuster tactic, and since Missouri senate laws do not prohibit this practice, there is little hope of an agreement being struck. Till both sides soften their rigid stance, then residents of Missouri will have to continue waiting for sports betting in their state or cross borders to Kansas to place legal wagers.
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