Missouri Considers Sports Betting Bill; State Betting Notes

Missouri considers a bill to legalize sports betting. There is also an overall sports-betting update in Louisiana and a decision in Massachusetts to hold off on announcing when wagering can begin.

Rep. Dan Houx, R-Warrensburg, introduced House Bill 4 to legalize and regulate sports betting in Missouri's riverboat casinos. The bill might come up for a hearing in the House General Laws Committee on Monday.

On Sept. 1, sports betting became legal next door to Missouri in Kansas. The Kansas launch prompted a renewed call in Missouri for legal sports gambling.

Massachusetts legalized sports betting in August. The start date for betting is uncertain. There are concerns about issues related to temporary licenses for 20 or more online bookmakers. A roundtable with online gamemakers will take place on September 22.

Louisiana's bookmakers accepted $1.4 billion in bets since sports betting was legalized last year. In-person casino wagering began in October 2021, while mobile waggering was launched this year in January. The overall sports-betting total includes a handle of $112 million in August from seven mobile bookmaker.