KANSAS CITY - Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins speaks out on blocking emergency rules to legalize sports gambling in Missouri sooner.
After multiple attempts by KMOX to speak with Secretary of State Denny Hoskins about his decision, he discussed the issue with sister station KFTK on 'The Mark Reardon Show.'
Hoskins says the emergency rules appeal was blocked because it does not qualify as an emergency under state law.
As a state senator, Hoskins was an opponent of sports gambling but denies that position impacting his decision.
"It's absolutely not true," Hoskins claims. "As Secretary of State, I take my job very seriously and I am committed to putting scrutiny on any initiative petition that comes through."
What does this mean moving forward? Hoskins says there is still plenty of time to get these rules finalized ahead of the Dec. 1st deadline.
"The Missouri Gaming Commission has plenty of time since they found out this was certified last December in order to get the rules proposed in order to get the application license," said Hoskins.
The Missouri Gaming Commission separately filed rules that would launch sports gambling in August.