Missouri Lawmakers Consider Legalizing Slot Machines

Missouri on the cusp of getting access to our best sports betting sites, and already there are murmurs of changes coming through the pipelines.

Legislators are considering a proposal to legalize and regulate slot machines throughout the state, a move that could significantly impact the gambling industry. , which was recently considered by the House Emerging Issues Committee, would generate an estimated excess of $343 million annually if it passes.

The new legislation sponsored by Representative Bill Hardwick seeks to create a regulatory scheme for video gambling machines already in use at gas stations, bars, and other establishments. According to the proposal, the Missouri Lottery would administer the program and thus provide compliance while generating extra revenue for the state. 

HB 970

The bill would also include provisions to help keep minors away from the machines.

The slot machine tax rate has been fixed at 34%, consistent with the existing casino tax system but above the recently approved tax rate for Missouri sports betting. Legislators argue that the move would bring certainty to businesses already hosting the machines while also raising revenue for education through taxation.

The row has attracted arguments both for and against from supporters and critics alike, along with worries about the effect on businesses and communities locally. Some lawmakers have advocated for regulation of the machines, while others have expressed concern.

Representative Emily Weber explained that the bill was required because of the growing proliferation of slot-type games at venues across the state. However, Representative Wick Thomas argued that local governments should be given the right to opt-out if they want to ban gambling in their areas.

Another area of disagreement concerns the location of the machines within firms. Some members of the committee suggest that companies should be forced to install the machines in individual rooms instead of allowing them in general areas where there are children and non-gaming clients.

Representatives for Missouri casinos oppose the proposal, saying it would do little to stop illegal gaming while increasing the total number of machines statewide. Projections indicate the bill could result in the licensing of more than 58,000 slot machines, more than double the current number in Missouri casinos.

Missouri gambling continues to cause debate

The debate over the expansion of gambling and Missouri sportsbook promos comes on the heels of a mixed result from a statewide vote in November, as a ballot measure legalizing sports betting only just passed 50.05% with a $43 million campaign to get it over the finish line. 

The initiative to legalize Missouri sports betting was almost derailed before it began by a lawsuit. It had to survive a recount after it passed by such a razor-thin margin. Chairman of the Missouri Gaming Commission Jan Zimmerman estimates that sports betting will be ready to launch in summer, sooner than initially predicted. 

Meanwhile, a ballot proposition to introduce a new casino at the Lake of the Ozarks was defeated, evidence of split popular opinion on casino expansion.