- A Missouri sports betting tax bill faced opposition in Tuesday’s public hearing in the Crime and Public Safety Committee.
- Rep. Jeff Knight’s bill would replace the current 10% sports betting tax rate with a 24% rate before promotional costs are deducted and increase casino admission fees
- No one testified in favor of the bill, but representatives of the Missouri Gaming Association and Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry testified against the bill.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Committee Chairman Jeff Myers said that the sports betting portion of HB 3533 “has been taken out of this” in a Tuesday public hearing. While last hearing saw pushback towards the sportsbook tax rate increase portion of the bill, which proposes an increase from 10% to 24%, Tuesday’s hearing also discussed tax increases on casinos.
“This bill raises taxes on casinos, raises fees and costs to get in there and it generates a little bit of money for the Department of Natural Resources, the historic fund, education, and the gaming commission to the tune of $470 million,” said Bill sponsor Jeff Knight in Tuesday’s public hearing with the Crime and Public Safety Committee.
Sports Betting Tax Increase Proposal Removed From HB 3533?
Mike Winter, representative of the Missouri Gaming Association, testified against the casino tax portion and the sports betting tax increase proposal. He believes that the Missouri sports betting tax rate portion of the bill will need a vote to pass.
“On page six, the provisions on that part of the bill, in sub 2, it tries to assess another tax relative to sports betting, as well as reduce some of the things that were in the constitutional language passed by the voters, which are the deductions. So, I would suggest this provision couldn’t be done through way of legislation and would have to go back to a vote of the people [vote].”
Chairman Jeff Myers responded by saying “so your recommendations on sports betting, that part has been taken out of this.” It seems that further discussions of HB 3533 will focus on casino tax proposals portions, but the bill is currently not on a house calendar.
Chance Hepola from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce also opposed raising fees and taxes from the bill. The latest version of the bill still includes a legal sports betting tax increase proposal, but Chairman Myers’ comments make that seem likely to change.
