In 2014, Missouri lawmakers passed a bill allowing gamblers to establish lines of credit starting at $10,000. The measure was seen as a convenience for professional athletes and high rollers. However, in 2016, the legislature passed Senate Bill 833, which removed the $10,000 minimum to allow smaller loans based on the applicant’s creditworthiness−either $10,000 or twice the amount of the requested credit amount.
Mike Winter, executive director at the Missouri Gaming Association, recently told the Columbia Missourian that the short-term loans are a convenience for customers as long as they can afford them. He said $10,000 “is a pretty high threshold, and we had other customers who were asking for a line of credit.”
The application for casino credit usually includes the applicant’s employer, bank routing number and Social Security number; the casino uses this information to run a credit check or view the applicant’s account balance. If approved, gamblers can use the funds to gamble in the casino, with 30 interest-free days to repay the unsecured loans.
According to Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) rules, if a loan becomes overdue, a casino can withdraw the money from the gambler’s bank account. State law says only that unpaid debt is “enforceable by legal process,” which can mean applying a player’s winnings to the outstanding debt or suing them.
The MGC does not regulate or collect data on the number of gamblers who take out short-term loans.
Peggy Richardson, executive director of the MGC, told the Missourian, “The data stays with the casinos.” That leaves casinos to oversee their own loan operations and determine the minimum amount of credit a player can borrow. At Horseshoe St. Louis, for example, a player can request a minimum of $1,000. At Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, the minimum is $5,000 with the option to loan less.
Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling said, “In general, gambling on any type of credit is likely a risk factor for someone with a gambling problem.”
Meanwhile, from 2009 to 2021, Missouri slashed problem gambling services funding by 63 percent. In fact, last year, the Compulsive Gamblers Fund received $0 from casino admissions fees. In 2021, although Missouri ranked ninth in total state tax gaming revenue, it ranked 38 out of 42 states in public funds for problem gambling services.
As a result, many certified counselors have quit the program, said Mark Rembecki, gambling treatment and certification coordinator for the Missouri Department of Mental Health. He said the department is making training more accessible for potential counselors, but that takes time. And there’s no need to ask for additional funds if no providers are available.
The department’s website lists agencies contracted by the state to provide free counseling. However, in 2022, only 51 people used those services−far from the estimated 100,000 problem gamblers in the state. The list doesn’t include any agencies in Boone County, where the Isle of Capri is located. The Missouri Alliance to Curb Problem Gambling reported only 15 Boone County residents used the 1-888-BETSOFF helpline in 2021.
