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Missouri Sports Betting: Senate Bill 30 Remains Mired In State Senate

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Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.

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Updated9 hours ago on April 30, 2024

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The odds appear long the Missouri Senate will come together and pass legalized sports betting during the current session. 

As the Missouri Independent pointed out, not even Ladbrokes is not offering odds on Senate Bill 30 passing and landing on the desk of Gov. Mike Parson. 

That’s news in itself. Ladbrokes, the London-based gambling provider, is known to take bets on just about anything. 

Mayor Quinton Lucas: ‘C’mon, People … Just Get It Done’  

Time is running out and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas tweeted a personal plea. 

 “C’mon, people,” Lucas wrote. “Just get it done. Or folks will continue to bet in ways that deprive Missouri and its legitimate institutions, including sports franchises, of revenue.” 

Bordering states Kansas, Kentucky and Nebraska have enacted laws and Oklahoma’s lawmakers appear to be close to joining their neighbors. 

Missouri may end up being the region’s standalone state without legalized sports wagering. 

“Here in KC, that just means more trips to parking lots across the line,” Lucas tweeted. 

State senators debated for more than eight hours last Wednesday, but SB 30 did not make it to a vote, despite 12 proposed amendments. Senators eventually adjourned and the legislation was laid over as Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer spearheaded a motion for it to be placed on an informal calendar. It was passed. 

The Missouri State Legislature convened on Jan. 4 and will adjourn on May 12. 

Sen. John Rizzo: ‘Path Is Increasingly Dim’

The legislation remains in limbo as state Senators continue to debate the pros and cons of legalizing state wagering. Some senators want to link SB 30 with legalizing video lottery machines. Others disagree with expanding either proposal. 

The fight continues. 

Sen. John Rizzo (D-Independence) is not optimistic, 

“The path is increasingly dim,” Rizzo said, as reported by the Missouri Independent. “But I will also say that I think getting to a vote on the (video lottery terminal) stuff was always a problem in the past.  

“So the ball moved forward a little bit on that. Is it enough? I don’t believe it is.” 

The state House overwhelmingly passed its sports betting bill, 118-35, but the momentum did not transfer to the Senate. 

As he waits for another opportunity to debate SB 30 on the Senate floor, Rizzo called for the lawmakers to pass responsible regulations. 

“But you’re saying I can’t bet 50 bucks on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl next year or the Cardinals to win the World Series this year,” Rizzo said. “And the average person is exactly right.  

“It makes no sense.” 

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