People in Missouri will have the opportunity to vote on the legalization of sports betting on November 5. The Missouri Secretary of State recently announced that the petition to include this issue on the ballot was successful. A simple majority is required for the measure to pass.
The group behind the petition, Winning for Missouri Education, managed to gather over 340,000 signatures to trigger the vote, which is double the required number. All of the state’s professional sports teams are in support of the proposal, and major operators like FanDuel and DraftKings have made significant donations to help garner support for the campaign.
A poll conducted in March by the Kansas City Star indicated that 60% of potential voters are in favor of legalization, while 25% are against it, and the rest are undecided.
If the vote is successful, it would grant licenses to the six professional sports teams in the state, as well as allow each casino to obtain a retail license and up to two online approvals. The proposed tax rate is 10%, with $5 million allocated to a problem gambling fund and the remaining revenue earmarked for education programs.
Overall, the initiative to legalize sports betting in Missouri has gained significant support from various stakeholders and could have a positive impact on both the sports industry and education programs in the state.