Missouri is one of 46 states banned from having sports betting thanks to a 1992 law called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA. PASPA was passed to stop the rampant growth of sports betting in the country at the time and there are currently only four states exempted from it—Montana, Delaware, Oregon and Nevada. These states were exempted because they already had some form of sports betting established at the time of PASPA’s enacting. Out of these four states, Nevada is the only one with single-game sportsbooks. Las Vegas is considered the epicenter of sports betting in the country.
Missouri’s sports gambling destiny may be about to change, as a New Jersey Congressman is pushing a bill forward in the House of Representatives that would give Missouri, along with the 45 other states affected by PASPA, the right to implement a regulated sports gambling industry if they choose to do so. Congressman Frank LoBiondo is the author of H.R. 783, more commonly known as the Sports Gaming Opportunity Act. The language of the bill states that its purpose is to “amend chapter 178 of title 28 of the United States Code to permit during a 4-year period States to enact statutes that exempt from the operation of such chapter, lotteries, sweepstakes, and other betting, gambling, or wagering schemes involving professional and amateur sports.”
New Jersey has been the most aggressive state in fighting for legalized sports betting, even going so far as drafting legislation that tried to circumvent PASPA. Governor Chris Christie’s efforts were quickly squashed out by the major sports leagues, despite the bill being voted in by New Jersey residents. Their case is currently awaiting word from the Supreme Court and the Solicitor General on whether their appeal will be heard. LoBiondo’s bill helps to stir the issue in the House of Representatives, which he hopes will bode well for his state. The important thing to note is the far-reaching implications of this case, as a ruling in favor of the Sports Gaming Opportunity Act will pave the way for sports betting to finally take a firm hold in the US economy. Sports betting is a very lucrative industry, and the lion’s share of the money being made is through underground and illegal channels. Missouri, and any other state potentially interested in having sports betting, could regulate the market and use the money to fund state infrastructures. LoBiondo is hopeful that this bill, albeit not his first attempt at passing it, could finally make an impact.
“Over the years we have made progress on bringing sports betting to our state [New Jersey] and I hope that a bipartisan coalition in Congress can come together in support of legalizing and regulating sports betting,” said LoBiondo in a press release.
As anyone can guess, the legislative process is a slow one, but there are a lot of expectations for 2017 in regards to sports gambling. Missouri sports gambling is restricted to offshore sportsbooks, which operate and are regulated legally outside of the US, but if the Sports Gaming Opportunity Act does make it through, Missouri would have a 4-year window to decide if they want sports gambling in their state.