Missourians to Vote on Legalizing Sports Betting in November

The Missouri Secretary of State’s office announced Tuesday that the advocacy group “Victory for Education Missouri” has collected over 340,000 signatures in support of a petition to legalize sports betting. That’s nearly double the minimum required, and the signatures have been certified by state election officials. Now, the question, known as Amendment 2, will be on the ballot in November. The amendment is supported by the state’s professional sports teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and others.

Major betting operators like DraftKings and FanDuel have expressed their support for legalization by donating $6.5 million to the Victory for Education Missouri campaign.

With Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft certifying a constitutional amendment, Missourians will be able to decide whether to legalize sports betting and tax it at 10%. State lawmakers have previously failed to pass similar legislation.

According to a poll conducted by the Kansas City Star in March, 60% of likely voters support legalized sports betting, while 25% oppose it and 14% remain undecided. In another poll conducted by Emerson College Polling/The Hill in June, 38% of respondents said they would vote for legalization, while 35% said they would vote against it.

If the amendment is approved by voters, all six professional sports teams in the state would be licensed to operate betting operations. The state’s casinos will also be able to obtain retail licenses and two online licenses.

St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III thanked everyone who supported the petition and noted that Missouri is just one step away from joining other states that have already legalized sports betting. He emphasized that legalization would bring millions of dollars to the state’s schools and urged everyone to vote for Amendment 2, calling it “the right thing” for public schools and sports teams.

The initiative comes after years of failed attempts in the state General Assembly, where bickering among Senate Republicans has hampered the bill’s progress. Projections suggest the state could earn anywhere from zero to $28.9 million in revenue from legalized sports betting each year.

With neighboring Kansas legalizing betting in 2022, many Missourians are crossing the border to place bets, and the November vote will be a key time for local gamblers.