Missouri is heading to the general election polls next week to decide on legal sports betting, and recent geolocation reports show that millions of Missourians are eager for a regulated market. Despite the fact that every state bordering Missouri, except for Oklahoma, has already legalized sports betting, a GeoComply survey conducted in October 2024 revealed that over 11.1 million geolocation checks from Missouri-located devices were blocked when attempting to access legal online sportsbooks in other states.
The survey also showed that a significant number of Missourians were crossing state lines into Kansas and Illinois to access sports betting. On the opening Monday game of the NFL season between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens, GeoComply blocked nearly 21,000 geolocation checks from devices in and around Arrowhead Stadium. Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education and the committee promoting Amendment 2 on the upcoming ballot, described these numbers as “staggering.”
If voters support Amendment 2 at the polls, Missouri will issue a total of 19 retail and 21 online sports betting licenses. Cardetti emphasized that the high number of attempts to bet during the NFL season indicated that Missouri was missing out on potential revenue by not legalizing sports betting. He stressed that Amendment 2 would not only legalize sports betting in Missouri but also ensure that the funds generated are reinvested back into the community, specifically into the education system.
Overall, the data from the GeoComply survey highlights the strong demand for legal sports betting in Missouri and the potential benefits it could bring to the state. As the state prepares for the upcoming election, the decision on legalizing sports betting will have a significant impact on the future of the industry in Missouri and the opportunities it could create for both consumers and the local economy.