Missouri sports betting bill hits Senate roadblock

Efforts to legalize sports betting in Missouri were once again thwarted on Friday as the state’s legislative session came to a close.

Despite gaining approval in the House, the sports betting bill faced significant opposition in the Senate leading to a deadlock and, as a result, the session ended without the bill reaching the governor for approval. 

Throughout the week, Missouri senators engaged in filibusters, with some of the lawmakers attributing the delay to concerns surrounding sports betting. However, sources from the industry indicated that negotiations had already ended, suggesting that these claims were not the primary reason for the impasse. 

Senator Denny Hoskins emerged as a key figure in the sports betting dispute. Hoskins insisted that any sports betting legislation be tied to regulatory language for video lottery terminals (VLTs). He actively participated in stalling legislation, including a notable eight-hour stand to block a sports betting bill on April 5. 

Despite the House passing the bill, the lack of progress in the Senate means that Missouri residents are still without legal sports betting. As the Senate majority leader described it, the delays in the legislative process were “political theater”. 

Hoskins stated that passing an extensively amended bill or a compromise bill incorporating VLTs were the only viable paths to legalize sports betting in the current year. However, these options were not presented on the Senate floor by the legislative leadership.

The stalemate over sports betting also affected other prominent matters. For instance, a House bill aimed at extending the statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims to sue their abusers did not receive a Senate vote, despite unanimous approval in the lower chamber.  

This prolonged saga surrounding sports betting in Missouri originated when Hoskins prevented the advancement of Representative Dan Houx’s proposal last year. Hoskins’s opposition to sports betting emerged when his own legislation concerning sports betting and VLTs failed to gain traction in committee. 

Subsequently, he vowed to obstruct any sports betting proposals until his demands were met. Recently, Houx incorporated sports betting language into an unrelated bill associated with Hoskins, an action Hoskins deemed potentially unconstitutional. 

As stakeholders seek alternative paths to legalizing sports betting, major players such as the St Louis Cardinals may consider leading a ballot initiative. If they are successful, Missouri voters could determine the future of sports betting through a referendum in 2024.
  
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