Missourians won’t get a chance to place sports bets right away.
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected on Thursday speeding up the rules process to begin sports betting.
Hoskins declined emergency rules from the Missouri Gaming Commission aimed at laying the groundwork for legal sports betting. Missourians narrowly approved a ballot item authorizing people to bet on sports with their phones, at stadiums or at casinos last year.
“The emergency rules were rejected due to lack of emergency, the gaming rules will proceed through standard rulemaking processes,” said Hoskins spokeswoman Rachael Dunn.
Had Hoskins approved the rules, they would have gone into effect within 10 days. Missouri Gaming Commission Chairman Jan Zimmerman had said that her agency wanted to begin sports betting by the summer.
The process to approve rules usually takes a few months — meaning sports betting will likely be delayed until the fall.
In a statement provided to St. Louis Public Radio, the Missouri Gaming Commission said, "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 Aug. 30, 2025," the statement said. "In the meantime, Commission staff will continue working to ensure we meet the constitutionally required start date of sports wagering not later than Dec. 1, 2025."
Gabby Pichard, a spokeswoman for Gov. Mike Kehoe, said the proposed emergency rules were sent to the GOP chief executive's office before Hoskins ended up rejecting them.
"Governor Kehoe and Secretary Hoskins continue to have a good working relationship, and the Governor’s Office will continue to work with the Missouri Gaming Commission and the Office of the Secretary of State on sports betting implementation," Pichard said.
This isn't Hoskins' first encounter with efforts to legalize sports betting.
When he was a member of the Missouri Senate, Hoskins was a major obstacle to getting sports betting through the legislature. He wanted to pair any sports betting legalization effort with legalizing video gambling machines often found in gas stations or fraternal organizations.
Hoskins is responsible for administering rules as secretary of state and has the power to reject proposed emergency rules. Hoskins’ predecessor, Jay Ashcroft, rejected emergency rules aimed at curbing hemp-based products.
This story has been updated with comments from the Missouri Gaming Commission and Gov. Mike Kehoe.
