St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III is hoping Missouri residents will vote for Amendment 2 this November after Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft certified a petition for the ballot measure last week to officially put legalized sports betting on the ballot.
Following the certification of the petition, DeWitt III said in a statement:
“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. A vote for Amendment 2 in November is the right thing to do for both Missouri public schools and our favorite sports teams.”
Residents of Missouri will ultimately decide the fate of sports betting in the Show-Me State at the ballot box. The petition was a last resort after state legislators failed to approve a bill to legalize sports betting in the state over the past couple of years.
St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and St. Louis Blues support the petition
The petition received support from not only the Cardinals, but also from the state’s other professional sports franchises: Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and St. Louis Blues.
All four sports teams partnered with multiple sports betting operators to fund Winning for Missouri Education. The coalition promoted the petition and collected more than 340,000 signatures.
Local polling has shown adequate support for sports betting to pass the ballot initiative. A poll published by The Kansas City Star earlier this year found that 60 percent of respondents approved sports betting legislation, 25 percent opposed, and 14 were undecided.
Legalized sports betting would allow the state’s casino operators to be eligible for a license. Two online betting platforms would be eligible to receive one as well.
Missouri would tax sports betting at 10 percent under the proposal. If passed by voters, the initiative would align Missouri with 38 other states and Washington D.C. that have already legalized the activity.
DraftKings’ parent company, DK Crown Holdings, supports legalized sports betting in Missouri
Additionally, one industry giant in particular is also pushing for legalization.
DraftKings’ parent company, DK Crown Holdings, contributed $3.5 million to the political action committee (PAC) for the Missouri sports betting ballot initiative, according to the Missouri Ethics Commission.
In fact, DraftKings’ donation is an effort to sway Missouri voters towards legalizing sports wagering. The contribution helped propel the PAC beyond the $10 million mark in total fundraising proceeds.
Legislation to legalize sports betting has been impeded by a dispute over video lottery terminals. The casino-like slot machines can be found across the state at bars, gas stations, and truck stops.
Lawmakers were divided on whether a sports betting bill should also regulate and tax the gas station slots. The proposed constitutional amendment would only legalize sports betting and does not address the video terminals.
Missouri voters will also decide in November whether to overturn the state’s ban on abortion and raise minimum wage. Gambling could very well be the least of Missourians’ concerns.