Missouri governor ends all hopes for sports betting in 2022

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson stated that it is unlikely a bill would pass in 2022.

US.- Even though a new Missouri sports betting bill has been introduced during a special legislative session, Gov. Mike Parson is unlikely to allow it to be heard until the regularly scheduled 2023 legislative session. In an Extraordinary Session, the governor is discussing state income tax rates and has pushed betting away from the forefront.

Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said that means sports betting legislation is not relevant to the subject of the special session: “Sports betting is clearly beyond the call and does not relate to Governor Parson’s topics in the call. I do not anticipate sports betting being a part of special session,” Jones told the St. Louis Dispatch.

The governor called the special legislative session to discuss an income tax cut for state residents, he would not make a call for the bill to be discussed at this time. Lawmakers can still discuss legal wagering or any other topic, but they cannot vote on them.

Representative Dan Houx filed legislation last week in hopes of maintaining alive the issue of legalised sports betting, after a measure passed the House this year but couldn’t move forward in the Senate.

Houx’s bill is similar to the one that passed the House earlier this year. It would allow for statewide mobile and retail wagering with platforms tethered to existing casinos and professional sports venues.

Transactions from Missouri blocked on first day of sports betting in Kansas

The geolocation data firm GeoComply has revealed that it blocked 16,000 cross-border transactions from Missouri on the first day of legal sports betting in Kansas. Sports betting launched in Kansas on Thursday (September 1).

GeoComply said that around 60 per cent of the blocked transactions came from the Missourian part of Kansas City, showing great interest in sports betting among Missouri residents. Missouri has yet to legalise sports betting, and it’s uncertain if or when it will despite neighbouring states having done so.