Missouri Sports Betting on the Ballot in November

In November, voters in Missouri will determine whether to allow sports betting. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft certified a constitutional amendment asking voters to decide whether to allow and impose taxes on wagering on major sports events for the ballot on November 5. Ashcroft concluded that the sports betting campaign had gathered a sufficient number of legitimate signatures and across the state, election authorities validated the signatures. All of Missouri’s major professional sports teams support the Winning for Missouri Education campaign, which has raised over $6.5 million, including large contributions from the two largest mobile sports betting companies, FanDuel and DraftKings. In an effort to compel a statewide referendum, the campaign claimed to have delivered more than 340,000 signatures in May.

“Missouri is now just one step away from joining most other states in legalizing sports betting and being able to provide millions of dollars to Missouri classrooms,” St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III said in a statement about what will be called Amendment 2 on the November ballot. “A vote for Amendment 2 in November is the right thing to do for both Missouri public schools and our favorite sports teams.”

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The endeavor follows years of previous attempts that were stalled in the General Assembly due to acrimonious disputes among Senate Republicans. A license to accept wagers on games and other results would be granted to the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Current, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Cardinals, and St. Louis City SC under the proposed constitutional change. It would also make two online betting platforms and the state’s casino operators eligible for licenses.

 Under the proposed legislation, sports betting in Missouri would be subject to a 10% tax, with $5 million going toward a fund aimed at preventing compulsive gambling. As the coalition’s name suggests, public schools and higher institutions would receive the remaining funds.

According to a fiscal note included with the proposal, the state may get as much as $28.9 million annually in revenue from sports betting. It seems that most Missourians are in favor of legalized sports betting. According to a March poll, 25% of potential voters disagreed with the idea of legalizing professional sports betting, while 60% of likely voters supported it. 14% of respondents indicated they were unsure. Supporters of sports betting have frequently cited Missouri’s loss of millions of dollars in revenue, particularly since Kansas legalized sports betting in 2022. To place their bets, Missourians have crossed into neighboring Kansas and Illinois. 

However, some people are still against legalized sports betting. The popularity of sports gambling in the state was questioned by a different poll that was conducted last year. Following an investigation into the gambling industry, the New York Times revealed in 2022 that the sports betting industry had come up with strategies to entice bettors to keep wagering even after they had lost money. The article also revealed that several quit-assistance programs, administered by states or gaming corporations, were not always effective. For instance, those in Indiana who asked the government to stop them from gambling discovered that they could still make bets. 

Still, the Missouri debate has mostly been focused on people who disagree with gaming philosophically. Instead, a fight over video lottery machines has stalled legislation intended to authorize sports betting. Situated in a legal gray area, the casino-style slot machines have proliferated around the state in recent years at truck stops, petrol stations, and fraternal organizations.

Legislators have differed on whether a bill pertaining to sports betting ought to govern and tax gas station slots as well. The proposed constitutional change leaves gas station slots unaddressed and would only permit sports betting. In November, voters in Missouri will also determine whether to raise the minimum wage and repeal the state’s abortion prohibition. Both initiatives were approved by Ashcroft’s office.Check out the latest sports betting odds at Prime Sports.