If the Missouri Legislature is compared to a football game, then the state’s long-stymied push to legalize sports gambling has finally entered the red zone.
But the clock is ticking.
State lawmakers are closer to legalizing sports gambling as a bill has passed in the House and is now in the Senate with just two weeks left in the 2022 regular session. The new bill, if approved and signed into law, would allow gambling to be made via a casino or through third-party online betting sites that utilize geofencing technology.
The legislation also would stop the flow of Missourians who cross the border to place bets in states like Iowa and future bets made across state lines in Kansas who just passed a sports wagering bill Thursday night.
Keeping the money
in Missouri
State Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, said there is a continued push to keep the money in Missouri and not see it go to neighboring states such as Illinois and Iowa.
“Sports wagering has gotten more attention this year than it has in the past because the state’s surrounding states have all moved into that arena as well,” Hegeman said. “Kansas is about ready to move to it as we perceive and understand … it’s time for us to catch up.”
