Missouri governor remains vague on sports betting hopes
Governor Mike Parson said he believes sports betting will be a big topic in the 2023 legislative session but was noncommittal on its chances.
US.- The Missouri Senate and House leadership have deemed sports betting a priority, especially after neighbouring Kansas legalised the activity. Thousands of attempts by Missourians to access Kansas sportsbooks have been recorded. But Missouri governor Mike Parson remains vague on how likely it is to get passed.
Paron already appeared to have ruled out discussion of a newly submitted sports betting proposal ahead of the 2023 scheduled legislative session.
Now he said: “We’ll see how it all plays out but that’s the General Assembly’s thing. I think it’s going to be one of those things that’s coming when the day comes. The day is going to happen but that needs to go through the legislative process, and it goes in there year in and year out.”
According to Fox2Now, the governor said didn’t give any indication of his own opinion. He said, “That decision will be mine when it hits my desk but until then, you have to let the process work out and see what happens.”
Representative Dan Houx filed legislation in September 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.
