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In a pivotal move towards bringing legal sports betting to Missouri, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has given the green light to the final ballot language for a campaign spearheaded by professional sports teams. This promising development propels the initiative, led by a coalition including the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis City soccer club, into the next phase.
With the final ballot language approved, organizers now face the decision of selecting one of eight proposed versions to present to voters. The subsequent crucial step involves collecting 170,000 signatures across Missouri, aiming to secure a spot on the ballot before the impending May deadline.
Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III emphasized the imminent discussions with the mobile gambling app industry to finalize the version and devise a strategy for signature collection. “We’re going to do that here in the next week or two,” DeWitt affirmed.
Collaborative efforts between the pro sports teams and the Sports Betting Alliance, consisting of industry giants BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook, have been underway. The goal is to navigate the initiative petition process, engaging directly with voters rather than relying on legislative channels.
The Cardinals’ Mike Whittle acknowledged the potential for a legislative solution, expressing hope for a favorable outcome without resorting to an expensive voter initiative campaign. “I would be thrilled if we could get legislative action because then we wouldn’t have to do it,” Whittle noted.
The coalition has submitted eight ballot questions, each with slight variations, all proposing a framework imposing a 10% tax on wagers. This tax structure could contribute nearly $29 million to education, with an additional $5 million allocated to a problem gambling fund. The proposals envision sports betting on-site at Missouri’s professional sports venues and online platforms accessible statewide.
Despite these promising developments, a recent poll suggests potential resistance. According to a Remington Research Group survey, 54% of 711 likely voters are opposed to legalizing sports betting, with 26% in favor and 20% undecided. The journey towards legal sports betting in Missouri unfolds against the backdrop of a nationwide expansion post the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to lift the ban restricting sports wagering to Nevada.