Show-Me State voters will get the chance to legalize sports betting in Missouri this November.
The Secretary of State’s Office announced Tuesday there were a sufficient number of petition signatures needed to put MO sports betting on the November ballot. Local election officials turned in verified signature reports earlier this month.
The group behind the ballot initiative, Winning for Missouri Education, began the process last fall as sports betting legislation failed multiple times.
“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 release. “On behalf of all six of Missouri’s professional sports teams, I would like to thank everyone who signed a petition to get this on the ballot. A vote for Amendment 2 in November is the right thing to do for both Missouri public schools and our favorite sports teams.”
Missouri sports betting ballot question
The Missouri sports betting ballot question will read:
“A ‘yes’ vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to permit licensed sports wagering regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission and restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21. The amendment includes a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for educational institutions in Missouri.”
“A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding licensed regulated sports wagering.”
The sports betting question was one of three petitions to receive a sufficient ruling Tuesday. Another petition, regarding a new gambling boat license, failed.
Missouri sports betting ballot journey
DeWitt III told LSR last summer the state’s sports teams would push to put sports betting on the 2024 general election ballot. The teams have been behind sports betting legislation the past three years.
Winning for Missouri Education began collecting signatures in January, before turning in 340,000 ahead of the May 5 deadline. The petition needed approximately 170,000 verified signatures.
To fund the campaign thus far, DraftKings and FanDuel have contributed $6.5 million through a July 13 report.
What Missouri sports betting could look like
The ballot proposal would create in-person and online sports betting licenses for the state’s casinos and professional sports teams. There are 13 casinos and six professional sports teams.
The Missouri Gaming Commission could also issue two untethered online sportsbook licenses.
The state would tax sports betting revenue at 10%.
Missouri sports betting polling
Winning for Missouri Education noted in its release Tuesday multiple polls suggest more than 60% of residents support the proposal. That includes a January Emerson College poll and March Saint Louis University survey.
Missouri sports betting polling from June, however, is a bit more split. In the Emerson College and Nexstar Media landline survey in June, 38.3% of voters said yes, while another 26.3% said not sure.
Those all are above a Remington Research Group study in November 2023. Approximately 26% of Missourians were in favor last year.
Missouri legislative fumbles
The teams, along with casinos and sportsbooks, supported legislative attempts the past three years. Sports betting passed the House in 2022 and 2023, but fell short in the Senate against Sen. Denny Hoskins.
Hoskins hoped to tie video lottery terminal (VLT) legalization to the issue, and vowed to be an “obstructionist” until he got his way. There is not, however, broader legislative support for the VLT issue.
With Hoskins waiting in the Senate again this year, the House did not take up the issue once it made it to the floor.
