Missouri lawmakers continue to struggle with what to do about legal sports betting. But late Wednesday night, they make a decisive decision on the future of legal video lottery terminals in the state.
The Senate voted down a legal VLT amendment that was pitched as an addition to SB 30, the sports betting bill that would allow for statewide digital betting with platforms tethered to casinos and professional sports teams. The vote was 20-11 against legalizing the gray machines that have proliferated around the state.
The vote came after eight hours of debate, and shortly thereafter, a sports betting amendment that would increase the amount of funding directed to problem gambling initiatives from $1 million to $10 million was offered. Missouri Senate floor proceedings are available via audio stream only, so it can be difficult to identify who is speaking. But before any debate or vote happened, Sen. Denny Hoskins, architect of the VLT amendment and champion of legal VLTs, asked into a hot mike, “Are you pulling this or am I talking for three more hours?”
Senate President Caleb Rowden then laid the bill over at the request of another senator and adjourned for the night.