MO: Bill Pulled but Could Come to Vote Before Session Ends
The Missouri Senate brought the sports betting bill to the floor for discussion on Wednesday evening. However, Senator Denny Hoskins spent 4 hours filibustering the bill because it does not include language to legalize video lottery terminals (VLTs). Senate leadership pulled the bill from consideration, but it could be brought back up for debate/vote before the end of session.
The casino industry strongly opposes the legalization of VLTs and the supporters of VLTs insist that they will not let sports wagering pass unless they are included. Even though Sen. Hoskins earlier this year indicated his willingness to deal with these issues separately, he is now insisting they are tied together. Because of Senate rules, a single Senator can effectively kill a bill, especially since there is only a few session days remaining before adjournment.
The path for sports wagering is if the casino industry is willing to negotiate a deal for limited VLT legalization (or a pilot program). However, at this moment, they are unwilling to do that.