Preliminary Approval Makes MO Sportsbooks Reliant On Senate

[Update, March 24, 2022]

HB 2502 has passed in the Missouri House of Representatives to a 115-33 vote. The bill now advances to the Senate floor.

• HB 2502 received preliminary approval and requires a full House Floor vote.
• Assuming it passes, the measure will advance to the Senate.
• The bill puts an 8% tax on betting, allows sports betting at all 13 local casinos, and up to 39 online skins.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Sports betting in Missouri is one step closer to being regulated as the House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to HB 2502.

The bill now requires a House vote before advancing to the Senate floor where it will be discussed and voted on. Should the senate advance the bill forward then Missouri will be a Governor’s signature away from having legal sports betting locally.

Missouri House Bill Approval

During the hearing, lawmakers made some amendments to the original bill before the vote was tallied.

In the initial HB 2502 there was a 10% set tax rate. Due to Kansas likely seeing a 10% tax rate and wanting to compete with their neighboring state, lawmakers lowered the tax rate to 8%.

“8% is better than 0,” said Dan House, House Rep. and main sponsor of HB 2502.

Under the bill, the 13 local casinos will all have access to launching a sportsbook and be able to offer up to three online skins.

Local teams will also be able to partner with online operators to launch sports betting. In total, there can be up to 39 online skins in Missouri under HB 2502.

How Close Are We To Launch?

Lawmakers discussed having legal sports betting in Missouri by August 1, 2022, speaking specifically about missing out on March Madness this year and not wanting to repeat this issue.

This August 1 date is not a set date, however, but more of a goal for those in favor. The Senate could possibly delay things, Governor Mike Parson could veto the bill if passed, and the regulatory process could take a long time.

For optimism, local bettors could potentially see the market regulated and launched by the end of 2022… assuming there are no hitches on the road.

News tags: Chris Brown | Dan Houx | Jefferson City | Missouri | MO HB 2502 | Sean Pouche