A regulated betting industry could boost Missouri’s public schools by more than $18m a year.
A regulated betting industry could boost Missouri’s public schools by more than $18m a year.
LAWMAKERS in Missouri are considering a renewed effort to legalise sports betting.
A Republican-sponsored gambling bill died on the floor only last spring, but the national landscape has evolved considerably since then.
Now that the US Supreme Court has overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), there is hope that a second attempt at legalisation will fare better in the state legislature.
“I certainly anticipate it being out there for discussion before the House and the Senate,” said Republican representative Dean Plocher.
A regulated wagering industry could have significant long-term benefits for the people of Missouri.
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At present, state laws dictate that revenue from casino gambling must go towards the improvement of public education.
As sports betting will take place in casinos, it is estimated that state schools would receive upwards of $18 million a year more from gambling revenue.
If Rep. Plocher and his colleagues are successful, Missouri will join six other US states that have legalised sports betting since the PASPA ruling earlier this year.
The latest of those is Rhode Island, which joined New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico and Pennsylvania last month with the opening of sportsbook operations at Twin River Casino in Lincoln.