HB 3533 (Missouri) - Summary of Key Provisions and Impacts
Overview
- Jurisdiction: Missouri
- Bill: House Bill No. 3533, 2026 session
- Primary sponsor: Rep. Knight
- Purpose: Modify provisions governing the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC), increase and reallocate admission fees, create new taxes on gambling and sports wagering, and earmark funds for various state programs and historic preservation.
Main Goals and Intent
- Expand MGC oversight and regulatory flexibility.
- Increase and inflation-adjust admission fees for excursion boats.
- Introduce new tax revenue streams from gambling and sports wagering, with distributions to designated funds.
- Rebalance how remaining Gaming Commission Fund proceeds are allocated to state programs (historic preservation, veterans, developmental disabilities, etc.).
- Direct a portion of funds to local governments (home dock cities/counties).
Key Provisions and Changes
1) Regulation and Authority (313.805; 313.820; 313.835)
- The commission retains full jurisdiction over gambling operations (313.805) and may promulgate rules to implement sections 313.800–313.850.
- The Commission may authorize gambling on excursion boats even if the boat also serves alcohol; rules cannot cap wagering amounts by regulation (subject to other statutory constraints).
- Expanded enforcement tools: subpoenas, inspections, penalties (including up to three times the highest daily gross receipts for certain violations), and forfeiture of equipment for unauthorized gambling.
- Requires cashless wagering systems on excursion boats.
- Requires licensees to provide affirmative action plans for minority employment and procurement; annual reporting on effectiveness.
- Adjusts admission fees annually for inflation; requires transition considerations for moving from boats to non-floating facilities within 30 days of hearing.
- Adds provisions to prohibit misuse of patron identifying information for marketing unless opt-out is provided.
2) Admission Fee and Remote Wagering (313.820)
- Admission fee rises from $2 to $5.50 per person, charged per two hours in the gambling area.
- Fee allocation (inflation-adjusted over time):
- 50 cents to Historic Preservation Revolving Fund (DNR) for bicentennial commemoration and artifact preservation facility (subject to appropriation and timing).
- 2 dollars to the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund.
- 1 dollar to the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DMH) for community services.
- 1 dollar to the Gaming Commission Fund.
- 1 dollar to home dock cities/counties (local revenue).
- Optional 0.01 to the Compulsive Gamblers Fund (subject to appropriation).
- Annual CPI-based adjustment for the admission fee; the first adjustment applies Jan 1, 2027, with ten subsequent years of adjustments.
- Remote wagering access fee: 1.5% of monthly total wagers (in lieu of admissions). First $35 million of remote wagering proceeds allocated to the Historic Preservation Revolving Fund; remaining to the Gaming Commission Fund per regulations.
3) New Taxes (313.823)
- Gambling games: an additional 13% tax on adjusted gross receipts (AGR) from gambling games.
- Sports wagering: an additional 24% tax on AGR for sports wagering (no deductions allowed for promotional costs, free play, etc.).
- Tax revenues are returned to the Commission for distribution to the Director of Revenue.
4) Revenue Allocation (313.835)
- Gaming Commission Fund revenues (from admission, fees, penalties, etc.) fund the Commission’s administrative costs.
- Net proceeds after administrative allocations are distributed as follows (illustrative order and amounts subject to appropriation and inflation):
- Up to $500,000 per year to cities/counties for neighborhood programs addressing homelessness and gang-related issues.
- First $5 million to the Access Missouri financial assistance fund.
- The next $3 million to the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund.
- The next $4 million to the Missouri National Guard trust fund (with potential additional amounts).
- The next $15 million to the Historic Preservation Revolving Fund (via DNR).
- Remaining net proceeds may transfer to the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund (subject to appropriations).
Fiscal and Local Impacts (as projected in the fiscal note)
- Gaming Commission Fund (state): Net positive revenue from admission fee increases and new taxes; projected multi-year gains begin in 2027 and grow thereafter.
- Historic Preservation Revolving Fund: substantial inflows starting in 2027 (about $14 million initially, rising with inflation).
- Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund: substantial inflows (tens of millions annually, rising with time).
- Division of Developmental Disabilities: significant inflows (tens of millions annually).
- Local governments (home dock cities/counties): annual incremental revenue beginning in 2027.
- Administrative costs: modest for DOR and DNR updates to handle new taxes and fund distributions; some one-time implementation costs anticipated.
Implementation Notes
- Inflation adjustments use CPI for the Midwest urban region.
- Changes to allow remote wagering fees reflect evolving gaming operations beyond traditional admission.
- Some assumptions depend on admissions remaining near current levels; inflation-adjusted fee distributions will reallocate substantial revenue to non-gaming funds.
If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current law or summarize potential impacts for specific stakeholders (casinos, local governments, or state agencies).
