In the American state of Missouri and legislators are reportedly soon set to start considering a pair of measures that would look to legalize online and retail sportsbetting featuring associated tax rates of anything between 8% and 21%.

According to a Monday report from local radio broadcaster KMMO, the Appropriations Committee of the Missouri State Senate last week advanced House Bill 2502 and House Bill 2556 with the proposals subsequently being approved by this same body’s Governmental Affairs and Fiscal Oversight Committee.

Comprehensive coverage:

The prospective legislation is now reportedly scheduled to be put to a vote before the full 34-seat Missouri State Senate following debate and envision authorizing the state to dish out as many as 13 land-based sportsbetting licenses alongside a batch of up to 39 online certifications. The source detailed that much of the coming deliberations are likely to center on where any future tax revenues from sports wagering will go alongside the measures’ perceived dearth of illegal gambling safeguards.

Favoritism fears:

Missouri State Senator Denny Hoskins (pictured) has long advocated for land-based and online sportsbetting to be legalized for those in ‘The Show Me State’ although he reportedly expressed displeasure at the language in House Bill 2502 and House Bill 2556. The Republican purportedly asserted that the measures unfairly benefit the jurisdiction’s casinos and would produce only about $10 million a year for local educational programs when a rival proposition could bring in up to $163 million.

Hoskins reportedly stated…

“The current tax rate on gambling in Missouri is 21% and provides a significant amount of funding for our public schools. I don’t see why sports wagering should be treated differently and I look forward to working on this bill during floor debate to ensure that Missouri education and problem gambling treatment programs are the focus of this legislation, not just the bottom-line interests of the casinos.”

Late arrival:

For its part and local television broadcaster KOMU-TV used a Monday report of its own to explain that the two measures have appeared at the same time as the neighboring state of Kansas is putting the finishing touches on its own sportsbetting legalization legislation. The Columbia-headquartered source divulged that this means that Missouri with its population of almost 6.2 million people may soon be almost completely surrounded by jurisdictions that allow their residents and visitors to place wagers on professional and collegiate sporting events.

Equality enterprise:

Missouri State Senator Lincoln Hough serves as the Chairman for the Governmental Affairs and Fiscal Oversight Committee and he reportedly feels that the people of his state should have the same opportunities to wager on sporting events as those in the adjacent jurisdictions of Illinois, Tennessee, Iowa, Arkansas and Nebraska.

A statement from Hough reportedly read…

“I think right now is the time to do something and make it fair and equitable for the people that live here instead of, you know, people sometimes driving across state lines and then placing bets over there.”