Calls for sports betting to be legalized and for boost on taxes on casinos in Missouri
The legislation has been suggested in order to generate more money for nursing homes.
State lawmaker in Missouri, republican Representative Dave Griffith, proposed that Missouri should boost taxes on casinos and legalize sports betting to generate more money for the state’s seven nursing homes for military veterans.
The main purpose of this would be to help pay for employees in the facilities, which are understaffed, so that more residents can be served.
Griffith plans on bringing legislation into practice in January that would boost a $2 per person entrance fee paid by casino operators by at least $1 to benefit the nursing homes. He will have support for his proposal from the Missouri Association of Veterans Organizations.
History shows that it may actually be a difficult proposal to put through.
The Missouri Gaming Association has strongly opposed raising the entrance fee and has been in the middle of difficult negotiations with regards to making sports betting legal.
Patrons at casinos don’t directly pay entrance fees, something that hasn’t been changed since casinos were legalized back in the 1990s. Currently half of the proceeds go to the state and half to the home-dock city or county.
In 2012, former Governor Jay Nixon unsuccessfully attempted to raise the fee by $1. In 2019, republican Senator Mike Bernskoetter introduced legislation to raise the fee by $1 to help pay for a new museum in the capital city featuring riverboats, but that was also unsuccessful.
In September, a coalition of Missouri professional sports teams signed a petition in support of legalizing sports betting in the state.
Tags/Keywords
Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.
Latest News
