By PHIL KABLER
Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislation to legalize sports betting at West Virginia casinos is headed to the full Senate, after the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday rejected two amendments that would have substantially altered the proposal.
Under the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 415, if the U.S. Supreme Court later this year overturns a federal law barring most states from offering sports betting, the state Lottery Commission would be able to license the state’s five casinos to offer wagering on sporting events on-site, and through smartphone applications.
Sen. Doug Facemire, D-Braxton, offered an amendment requiring that the Lottery itself operate the sports betting app, contending that could make far larger profits than the legislation’s proposed 10 percent state tax on casino profits from sport betting.
“If we’re going to take these people’s money, it should be our objective to retain as much of that as we can for the state,” he said, calling a 10 percent tax insufficient.
“We all know there’s a lot of money here, or all these casino lobbyists wouldn’t be here trying to get it,” Facemire added.
Read the entire article: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/sports-betting-bill-advances-to-full-wv-senate/article_a5033502-958f-5d19-a3b5-df715766ea04.html
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