Missouri House Passes Video Lottery Bill — What HB 2989 Means for Missouri Gamblers

Missouri House Passes Video Lottery Bill — What HB 2989 Means for Missouri Gamblers and the Online Casino Question

Missouri's gambling landscape is more active legislatively in 2026 than at any point since Amendment 2 put sports betting on the November 2024 ballot. On February 18, 2026, the Missouri House voted 83-66 to pass HB 2989, a bill that would legalise and regulate video gaming terminals currently operating in a grey area across the state's gas stations, bars, and fraternal organisations. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it faces an uphill climb.

What Is HB 2989 and What Would It Do?

HB 2989 is not an online casino bill. It is a bill to bring existing grey-market gaming machines — operating without a licence in thousands of Missouri retail locations — under a formal regulatory framework administered by the Missouri Lottery Commission.

Under HB 2989:

• The Missouri Lottery would license video lottery terminals for bars, convenience stores, and fraternal halls
• Licensed machines would pay out at least 80% of money wagered as prizes
• Machines would connect to a centralised lottery control system
• Roughly one third of profits directed to state education programmes
• A 3% local government tax on video lottery profits
• Companies currently operating unlicensed machines would have one year to licence or remove their machines

The bill passed the House by just above the required threshold. That margin reflects deep division on the question.

What Is the Legal Status of These Machines Right Now?

In February 2026, a federal judge ruled that certain "skill game" terminals in Missouri businesses violated state gaming laws. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced aggressive enforcement. That enforcement pressure is part of why the bill came to a House floor vote in 2026 — legislators wanted to regulate on their own terms before courts removed the machines entirely.

Will HB 2989 Pass the Missouri Senate?

Almost certainly not in its current form. Missouri Senate Republican leadership has already signalled they do not see a path forward. A nearly identical bill passed the House in the prior session and died in the Senate. Governor Mike Kehoe has indicated he would consider signing the bill, but Senate resistance is the immediate obstacle.

Does Any of This Affect Real-Money Online Casino Gambling in Missouri?

No. HB 2989 concerns physical gaming terminals only. It has no online component and creates no pathway to real-money online casino gambling.

Real-money online casino gambling remains illegal in Missouri. Online sports betting launched on December 1, 2025 under Amendment 2, but that authorisation was specific to sports wagering. No bill currently before the Missouri Legislature proposes to legalise real-money online casino gambling.

The only legal online casino-style products available to Missouri residents are sweepstakes casinos — legal in all 50 states under US promotional sweepstakes law. No purchase is ever necessary. See our sweepstakes casino rankings.

What Would It Take to Legalise Online Casino Gambling in Missouri?

Legalising online casino gambling in Missouri would almost certainly require a voter-approved constitutional amendment — the same mechanism used for sports betting through Amendment 2. A simple legislative vote would not be sufficient.

Given that Amendment 2 passed by just 2,961 votes out of nearly 3 million cast, a second ballot campaign for online casino gambling would need to be carefully timed and broadly supported. As of early 2026, there is no organised campaign or credible legislative pathway.

We track all Missouri online casino legislation at /guides/will-missouri-legalize-online-casino/ — updated whenever a bill is filed, advances, or is voted on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HB 2989 in Missouri?

HB 2989 is a bill passed by the Missouri House on February 18, 2026, that would legalise and regulate video lottery terminals currently operating without licences in retail locations. It has been sent to the Missouri Senate, where it faces opposition from Republican leadership.

Does HB 2989 legalise online casinos in Missouri?

No. HB 2989 concerns physical video gaming terminals in retail locations only. It has no online component and creates no pathway to online casino gambling.

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Missouri?

Yes. Sweepstakes casinos are completely legal in Missouri. They operate under US promotional sweepstakes law rather than gambling regulation, making them legal in all 50 states. No purchase is necessary to play.

Will Missouri ever legalise real-money online casino gambling?

There is no active ballot campaign or legislative push for online casino legalisation in Missouri as of early 2026. It would most likely require a voter-approved constitutional amendment.

What happened to the unlicensed video gaming terminals in Missouri?

In February 2026, a federal judge ruled that certain skill-game terminals in Missouri businesses violated state gaming laws. The Missouri Attorney General announced aggressive enforcement. HB 2989 was a legislative response to bring these machines under regulation before courts removed them entirely.

We track all Missouri gambling legislation. See our Missouri online casino tracker for updates.

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