Online betting can't replace in-person experience, racetrack visitors say

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Beginning Dec. 1, Missourians can legally place sports bets online. But many casino and racetrack visitors say nothing beats being there in person.

Deborah and Bill, longtime Fairmount Park patrons, say they enjoy the social side of the track and have been coming for years, with friends knowing exactly where to find them. Bill added that betting on a phone just isn’t the same experience.

A study predicts most bets in Missouri’s first five years will be online, but fans and track officials say the atmosphere can’t be replicated at home. Vince Gabbart at Fairmount Park says there’s really no other way to capture that energy outside the track.

Experts warn that gambling, especially online, carries risks of addiction and financial trouble. Lawmakers included safeguards with legalization, such as funding for gambling prevention and treatment programs and a self-exclusion list, to help people gamble responsibly.