Missouri Race Wagering

In 1984, Missouri voters approved pari-mutuel wagering at horse tracks with a 60% majority; however, simulcasting was only authorized to be open at a track for the number of days that track held live horse races. In the 2002 legislature session, there was a measure proposed to eliminate the restriction and allow year-round betting on simulcasting. The proposal may have been precipitated when Magna Entertainment Corp. of Canada and other investors, in 2001, discussed the possibility of constructing a racetrack in Missouri only if lawmakers expanded simulcasting. The bill failed, and no tracks have been established. Simulcasting is also inactive.

When pari-mutuel wagering was approved, the Missouri Horse Racing Commission (MHRC) was also established. The MHRC, which is a five-member board appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate, was created to oversee the development and administration of the pari-mutuel horse racing industry in Missouri. The commission was assigned to the existing Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC).

In June 2008, the MHRC held its first meeting in 10 years with the MGC to discuss bringing back horse racing to state and county fairs and the possibility of introducing racinos. Beyond forming two subcommittees to research each of the discussion issues, the group never met again.