SPORTS WAGERING

This act authorizes sports wagering, and modifies the definition of "gambling game" to include sports wagering.

Sports wagering shall only be authorized to be conducted on an excursion gambling boat, through an approved limited mobile gaming system, or over the internet to persons physically located in this state. Such licensed facilities shall apply to the Missouri Gaming Commission for authorization to conduct sports wagering, and shall pay an application fee of $50,000. If granted a certificate of authority, a certificate holder shall be authorized to conduct sports wagering in a licensed facility, through a limited mobile gaming system, or through an interactive sports wagering platform, as defined in the act. (Section 313.1006)

Certificate holders shall designate an area within the licensed facility for conducting sports wagering. In addition to such designated area, sports wagering may be conducted in a gaming or other betting area of the licensed facility through the use of a limited mobile gaming system, or in a hotel, restaurant or other amenity operated by the certificate holder and subject to the authority of the Commission. (Section 313.1008)

Certificate holders shall ensure that the certificate holder's surveillance system covers all areas in which sports wagering is conducted, allow the Commission to be present through gaming agents during the hours sports wagering is conducted, ensure that individuals under the age of 21 are not making sports wagers, provide certain information to sports wagering patrons, and post a sign indicating the minimum and maximum amounts that may be wagered. (Section 313.1004)

A certificate holder may contract with a third party to conduct sports wagering at an individually branded sportsbook at the certificate holder's licensed facility. A certificate holder may also contract with up to three individually branded interactive sports wagering platforms to administer interactive sports wagering on the certificate holder's behalf. (Section 313.1008)

An interactive sports wagering platform, as defined in the act, may apply to the Commission for authority to offer sports wagering on behalf of a certificate holder. Such interactive sports wagering platform shall submit an application fee of $10,000. Each year after licensure, an interactive sports wagering platform shall submit an annual license renewal fee of $5,000. An interactive sports wagering platform may submit a request to the Commission for the issuance of a temporary license and the immediate commencement of sports wagering operations, as described in the act. (Section 313.1010)

The Commission shall promulgate rules for a sports wagering self-exclusion program, as described in the act. The Commission shall also promulgate rules to ensure that advertisements for sports wagering do not target minors or other persons who are ineligible to place wagers, problem gamblers, or other vulnerable persons.

Certificate holders shall not offer proposition wagers on any collegiate athletic or sporting event, or on the individual performance statistics of an athlete in a collegiate athletic or sporting event. (Section 313.1012)

Sports wagering commercial activity, defined as any operation, promotion, signage, advertising, or other business activity relating to sports wagering, shall be prohibited within designated sports and entertainment districts, as defined in the act, without a written waiver from each designated sports and entertainment district entity located within such district. (Section 313.1003.3)

The Commission shall not issue a license, except for temporary interactive sports wagering licenses, until the Commission determines that each person that has control of an applicant meets all qualifications for licensure, as described in the act. Such background checks shall include a search for criminal history and any charges or convictions involving corruption or manipulation of sporting events. Certificate holders shall prohibit certain individuals from placing sports wagers, as described in the act.

A sports governing body may notify the Commission that it desires to restrict, limit, or exclude tier two sports wagers, as defined in the act, on its sporting events. The Commission may deny such request if it determines that it is arbitrary and capricious.

Certificate holders may use any data source for determining the results of tier one and tier two sports wagers.

The Commission and certificate holders shall cooperate with investigations conducted by sports governing bodies and law enforcement agencies in this state. (Section 313.1014)

A certificate holder shall maintain records of all bets and wagers placed for at least three years after the sporting event occurs, including personally identifiable information of the bettor, the amount and type of bet, the time the bet was placed, the location of the bet, the outcome of the bet, records of abnormal betting activity, and video camera recordings of in-person wagers. (Section 313.1016)

A tax is imposed at a rate of 6.25% on the adjusted gross receipts received from sports wagering conducted by a certificate holder. Such tax shall be remitted by the last business day of each month. Revenues received from the tax shall be deposited in the Gaming Proceeds for Education Fund.

A certificate holder shall also pay to the Commission an annual administrative fee of $50,000. In addition to such administrative fee, a certificate holder shall pay to the Commission a fee of $10,000 every five years for a reinvestigation of the certificate holder. Such fees shall be deposited in the Gaming Commission Fund and shall be used to pay the costs incurred by the Commission to administer the provisions of the act. (Section 313.1022)

RAFFLES

This act provides that the Constitutional authorization of raffles by certain organizations includes a raffle using tickets, a device, or a machine where a person or persons buy one or more chances from a finite number of draws for a prize. Machines and devices shall be certified by an independent testing laboratory, as described in the act. (Section 572.015)

This act is substantially similar to SB 217 (2021), SB 18 (2021), SB 256 (2021), HB 619 (2021), HB 730 (2021), HB 1024 (2021), SB 567 (2020), SB 754 (2020), HB 2318 (2021), HB 2691 (2020), HB 119 (2019), SB 1009 (2018), HB 2406 (2018), and to provisions contained in SCS/SB 98 (2021), HB 915 (2021), HB 1364 (2021), SB 643 (2020), HCS/HB 2088 (2020), HCS/HB 2284 (2020), SS#3/SCS/SB 44 (2019), and SB 187 (2019), and is similar to HB 2320 (2018) and to a provision contained in SB 195 (2019).

JOSH NORBERG