Missouri residents will have to wait longer for legalized sports betting after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the emergency status for sports betting rules.
In response, the Missouri Gaming Commission has said that the proposed June launch will now be delayed into the fall.
Missouri Gaming Commission Faces Setback as Emergency Rules Get Rejected
The Gaming Commission sent the proposed emergency rules to Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe on 27 January. Denny Hoskins told iGB, “The situation does not warrant an emergency rulemaking designation.” He added that the “proposed emergency rules were intended to address specific aspects of gaming regulations. However, following a thorough review, it was concluded that the matter does not meet the criteria for emergency rulemaking according to Missouri law.”
Missouri’s delay in launch for online sports betting comes just weeks after the state showed digital-forward thinking when Rep. Bean Keathley introduced HB 1217, which proposed the creation of a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Fund to diversify the Show-Me State’s investment portfolio. Currently, it looks more likely that the state will hold stablecoin than a resident can use a crypto sportsbook.
Instead, the sports betting rules will go through the typical Missouri rulemaking process, providing the opportunity for the public to input. The emergency rule is only deemed appropriate if there is “immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare; or the rule is necessary to preserve a compelling governmental interest that requires an early effective date.” Hoskins does not believe online sports betting fits this broad categorization.
An email from the Gaming Commission to iGB stated: “On February 20, 2025, the Missouri Gaming Commission received notice from the Missouri Secretary of State that the emergency licensing rules – 11 CSR 45-20.020 through 11 CSR 45-20.130 – were rejected as they do not meet the requirements of Section 536.025, RSMo.”
“In the absence of emergency rules, our timeline is being pushed back months. The Commission will proceed with our proposed licensing rules that were filed at the same time and will become effective August 30, 2025. In the meantime, Commission staff will continue working to ensure we meet the constitutionally required start date of sports wagering not later than December 1, 2025,” the Commission added.
Hoskins’ History: How a Filibuster Halted Missouri Sports Betting in 2022
Secretary of State Hoskins has been heavily involved in the Missouri online sports betting debate. In 2022, he filed SB 643 and consistently argued that video lottery terminals (VLTs) should be legalized in tandem with sports betting.
That year, he famously filibustered sports betting, effectively ending its chances for another legislative session. He claimed he had a “fillibuster book” and told the chamber that he had 153 amendments he could offer to legislation. Hoskins suggested this was one amendment for every $1 million lost in tax revenue if sports betting was legalized and video lottery terminals were not.
Missouri’s Bitcoin Strategic Reserve: A Step Toward Crypto Integration?
The recent data for 2024, provided by the American Gaming Association, showed the continued growth of digital gaming revenues in the United States of America.
There is a clear digital channel shift, and cryptocurrency plays a pivotal role in this shift. The proposed bill relating to the Missouri treasury seeks to “receive, invest, and hold Bitcoin under certain circumstances.”
Should the bill pass, the state treasurer would oversee a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Fund, which residents could contribute to with gifts and donations in Bitcoin. The fund would also accept inter-governmental transfers in Bitcoin. The bill would also mandate that all government entities in Missouri accept cryptocurrency in uses approved by the Department of Revenue, which could include taxes, fees, and fines.
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