A Missouri House committee has voted 5-1 to allow video lottery game machines and sports betting to operate under the jurisdiction of the Missouri Lottery Commission.
Under House Bill 2088, the lottery commission would issue licenses to game manufacturers, distributors, retailers and operators and regulate video games in locations like gas stations. The commission would not allow a single vendor to control or operate more than 25 percent of video lottery game terminals after December 2025. The majority of revenues from the games would go toward education.
Retailers and the state each would receive 30 percent of revenue and cities where the transaction took place would receive 5 percent. The measure’s sponsor, state Rep. Dan Shaul, estimated the video lottery game terminals could generate up to $400 million after five years, and sports gambling could produce $100 million after two years. Implementation would cost around $2 million, according to the bill’s fiscal note.
Amendments were added during the hearing, including Shaul’s proposal giving 5 percent of revenue to cities with casinos, because of the increased competition. “This is trying to make up any revenue they may be losing. So that’s what we’d be trying to do, take care of the people that started the gaming in Missouri, and also allow the communities to get money going forward. To support their needs, as well,” Shaul said.
State Rep. Peter Merideth said the bill is a significant expansion of gambling in the state. “I think that voters in Missouri have made it pretty clear that when there’s a major change to gambling, whether it’s loss limits, whether it’s legalized boats, whether it’s legalizing the lottery, they would like to have a say in that decision,” he said. “So, I think we should not impose this on them but let them have a vote.”
Merideth’s proposal to place the issue on the November 2020 ballot did not pass.
