KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2023 Missouri legislative session is nearly over and passing a sports wagering bill remains uncertain.
“I would not say the issue is dead. I would say that it is alive," said Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer. "The question will be, can we find a path in the waning hours of this legislative session?"
Luetkemeyer proposed legislation to legalize sports wagering in Missouri.
So far, no sports betting measure has passed the legislature. The Parkville lawmaker said the issue is the lack of a "clean bill."
“There have been other gaming concepts that have been paired with or attempted to be paired with sports wagering, most notably video lottery terminals," said Luetkemeyer. "These slot machines style machines that you see sometimes around the state and there’s been an effort to leverage those types of machines onto a sports wagering bill. And because there’s no realistic path in the Missouri Senate for video lottery terminals, at least this session. It’s resulted in sports wagering dying.”
Missouri sports teams like the Kansas City Royals have expressed frustration with the lack of action in Jefferson City.
“The Kansas City Royals are aligned with the coalition of professional sports franchises across the state and share the same frustration when it comes to the lack of progress in Jefferson City. We are open to considering a joint initiative petition campaign at some point soon," explained Senior VP Chief Legal Officer for the Kansas City Royals, Adam Sachs.
"I would not begrudge the sports teams, the casino licenses one bit if they decide to go to the ballot because the general assembly doesn’t take any action," explained Luetkemeyer.
Currently, Missourians eager to place a legal bet have to travel to Kansas, which legalized sports wagering in 2022.
“I was hoping our state would get on board right away, but like a lot of issues, we’re a little behind in Missouri," said Dean Arns of Liberty.
“It’s kind of a bummer because they got those casinos there obviously and if they had a sports book, it would be really convenient for people like me," added Guy Cannon of Independence.
The Kansas Lottery reported that in April, sports wagering revenues totaled $9,197,202. The state's share was $919,720.
Luetkemeyer said if sports wagering doesn't pass this session, he'll reintroduce legislation in the next session.
Sports bettors like Cannon have a simple message for lawmakers.
“Pass it, man. It’s nothing but a win-win for taxpayers," said Cannon.
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