Judge Rules Missouri Sports Betting Amendment Will Be on Nov. Ballot

• Lawsuits preventing Missouri’s sports betting petition from reaching the November ballot were rejected by a circuit court judge on Friday.
• A political committee named Winning for Missouri Education collected over 205,000 valid signatures to bring legal Missouri sports betting to voter decision.
• If enough citizens vote yes on the sports betting amendment, titled Amendment 2, Missouri would have a regulated in-person and online sports betting industry.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri’s sports betting amendment will remain on the November ballot thanks to Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green. Green ruled that the lawsuits attempting to invalidate signatures on the sports betting petition were insufficient, thus keeping legal Missouri sports betting hopes alive for 2024.

Winning for Missouri Education (WME) collected 205,361 valid signatures in favor of bringing sports betting to a vote through a constitutional amendment, named Amendment 2. This amendment would bring legal sports betting to Missouri through state-regulated online and retail sports betting operators for everyone 21 years or older by December 1, 2025.

The addition of sports betting on the ballot is the best chance Missouri’s ever had to regulating their sports betting industry. Previous attempts were stalemated in the courts due to debate over video lottery terminals, but a vote avoids the lengthy legal process that has stalled sports betting progress for years.

What Happens If You Vote Yes Or No On Amendment 2

Voting yes on Amendment 2 would add Missouri to list of 38 states with legal sports betting, making it possible for residents to bet on the Kansas City Chiefs or St. Louis Cardinals from their mobile devices. Voting no would keep Missouri deprived of a state-regulated industry, losing millions of tax dollars to neighboring states with regulated betting like Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

The Missouri Sports Betting Initiative’s Amendment 2 includes a 10% adjusted gross revenue tax on the total amount wagered. Estimates say this would generate roughly $29 million annually for Missouri, with revenue mostly going towards education, the state fund, and the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund.

News tags: Amendment 2 | Missouri | Missouri Sports Betting Initiative | Winning for Missouri Education