A number of new bills that would authorize sports wagering in Missouri have progressed in the state legislature.
Senate Bills 643, 1046 and 1061 are all currently pending the Senate Appropriations Committee after being referred there during their last hearings.
Each of these bills will be heard by the Committee March 9.
These bills contain different proposals with the shared goal of legalizing sports betting in Missouri.
SB643 was first introduced on January 5 2022. It looks to repeal three sections of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and enact 17 new sections, which detail how sports betting would be implemented in the state.
According to the bill text, sports betting operators will pay an initial application fee of $50,000 for an interactive sports wagering license in Missouri and a license renewal fee of $20,000.
This will allow the license holder to contract with a maximum of three individually branded online sports wagering platforms.
SB1046, which was introduced on January 11 2022, states that a 10% wagering tax would apply to adjusted gross receipts from sports wagering. Revenues from this tax would go to the state treasury, in benefit of the Gaming Proceeds for Education Fund.
If passed, it would repeal one section of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and enact 14 additional sections.
Operators who seek an interactive sports wagering license will have to pay an initial $100,000 fee, along with a license renewal fee of $50,000 every two years.
The bill would also allow licensed facilities, whose facilities are on a boat, to offer their services through up to three online sports wagering platforms.
The third Senate sports wagering bill, SB1061, was introduced on January 13 2022. Like SB1046 it looks to repeal one section of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and add 14 new sections.
This bill would also enact a 10% wagering tax on adjusted gross receipts from sports wagering, with the revenue going to the Gaming Proceeds for Education Fund.
An initial fee of $100,000 would be paid for an interactive sports wagering license, and a renewal fee of $50,000 would be paid every two years.
Like SB1046, this bill would see licensed facilities based on a boat to offer their services through up to three online sports wagering platforms.
The final piece of legislation, House Bill 2556, is currently in the state House of Representatives. It was introduced on 25 January 2022.
It was passed by the Special Committee on Public Policy in a 4-2 vote earlier this month.
The bill replaced another attempt to legalize sports betting, HB2502, during the committee process. It will now go to the House Rules Administrative Oversight Committee after the vote.
If passed into law, the legislation could repeal a section of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and enact 15 new provisions.
If an operator wishes to obtain an interactive sports wagering license, the legislation stipulates that it must pay an application fee of $150,000 and a renewal fee of $125,000.
Several bills that sought to authorize sports betting in Missouri advanced to the House Emerging Issues Committee in May last year, but did not progress further.
