Missouri voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on sports betting in November, but the state’s gubernatorial candidates have already expressed their thoughts.
During the first gubernatorial debate this week, Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Democrat Rep. Crystal Quade both said they support the Missouri sports betting initiative. The ballot question, Amendment 2, would legalize sports betting and send up to $105 million to Missouri public education over the next five years.
“We are honored that the two leading candidates to be Missouri’s next chief executive both endorse legalizing sports betting as a new permanent, dedicated funding source for our classrooms, and plan to vote yes on Amendment 2,” Winning for Missouri Education spokesperson Jack Cardetti said in a release.
Missouri sports betting polling support
Winning for Missouri Education started the ballot initiative last year. With the state’s professional sports teams behind the campaign, DraftKings and FanDuel have contributed more than $21 million.
Recent Missouri sports betting polling shows 52% of voters support the issue. Another 23% are undecided.
Missouri ranks 47th in average teacher pay. In addition to endorsing the ballot question, both Kehoe and Quade support raising teacher salaries.
Missouri opposition emerges
Since the sports betting ballot question was certified last month, it has faced a mysterious lawsuit and now an opposition campaign funded by Caesars Entertainment. Industry sources tell LSR that Caesars, which owns three casinos in the state, does not like the ballot question specifics, which include just one skin for casino operators and two untethered sportsbook licenses.
After a hearing on the lawsuit, the judge sided with Secretary of State John Ashcroft and the office’s certification process.
Following the ruling, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment filed organizational paperwork with the state. Caesars contributed $4 million to the cause.
Ballot industry set up
If approved, the ballot question legalizes in-person and online sportsbooks in the Show-Me State and establishes a 10% tax on sports betting revenue.
An economic study released this week estimates the industry could generate up to $560 million annually, resulting in more than $38 million in state taxes for education.