Under legislation proposed by Missouri State Senator Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, betting on sports would be permitted in-state at casinos and over the internet.
“Currently, any sportsbook betting that’s done in Missouri is technically done illegally,” Luetkemeyer told the St. Joseph News-Press on January 12. “My legislation makes sure people are not. It also allows the state to generate more revenue by making it legal.”
Some 14 states allow live, legal sports wagering, according to the American Gaming Association. Of those, two border Missouri: Arkansas and Iowa. In addition, six states have enacted sports gaming but have yet to implement it into law. Another nine will look at the issue in the current legislative cycle, Missouri included.
Luetkemeyer’s bill is one of three floating through the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden is cautiously optimistic something will get done in the long run.
“There are a lot of interested parties on both sides,” Rowden said in an interview with KRCG-TV. “My advice to them has been you got to get to the table and try to figure out a path forward. I think they’re a long ways off at this point but there is still a chance. We’ll have I think legalized sports betting in the state in a couple of years, hopefully.”
Luetkemeyer said he believes his proposal will get traction this year. “Of all of the bills that I have filed, this is one of the ones I’ve gotten the most feedback about,” he said.
