Missouri Urges Congress to Lift Ban on Sports Betting

A resolution in the Missouri House asking the US Congress to lift PASPA, proposed by Reps. Grill & Colona, both Democrats:

---

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 22

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES GRILL (Sponsor) AND COLONA (Co-sponsors).

3818L.02I

Whereas, since January 1, 1993, the federal Professional and Amateur Sports Promotion Act (PASPA), 28 U.S.C. Section 3701 et seq., has prohibited states and local governments from authorizing sports wagering; and

Whereas, PASPA grandfathered in four states - Delaware, Oregon, Montana, and Nevada - allowing those states to offer such wagering if it was limited to plans the states had operated between 1976 and 1990; and

Whereas, under this grandfather provision, Nevada and Delaware are currently the only two states in which sports wagering is legally permitted, resulting in great direct and indirect revenues to Nevada's and Delaware's economies; and

Whereas, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, a Super Bowl-record $94.5 million was legally wagered in Nevada on the 2006 Super Bowl, approximately $93 million was wagered on the 2007 Super Bowl, approximately $92.1 million was wagered on the 2008 Super Bowl and approximately $81.5 million was wagered on the 2009 Super Bowl; and

Whereas, the record-setting 2006 Super Bowl weekend generated about $102.4 million in nongaming economic impact as the game attracted 285,000 visitors to Las Vegas; and

Whereas, it is estimated that Nevada's legal sports wagering represents less than 1% of all sports wagering nationwide; and

Whereas, in Delaware, while the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has issued an injunction banning point-spread bets on individual games in all major sports, the State of Delaware is allowed to offer parlay bets, which depend on the outcome of several matches, on National Football League games; and

Whereas, in September 2009, Delaware took its first legal sports wagers in more than thirty years to coincide with the beginning of the National Football League regular season; and

Whereas, according to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, illegal sports wagering amounts to approximately $380 billion each year; and

Whereas, the federal sports wagering ban is not effective in curbing illegal sports gambling, so that lifting the ban on sports wagering would allow state gaming enforcement agencies to properly regulate and police this activity; and

Whereas, the State of Missouri would benefit significantly from an end to the federal ban, as sports wagering in this state would be subject to the existing gambling taxes in Missouri, thereby generating more income for the State of Missouri; and

Whereas, the legalization of sports wagering would enhance Missouri as a gaming and tourism destination:

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby urge the United States Congress to remove the federal ban on sports wagering; and

Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Congress and to each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.