Missouri Voters Give Green Light to Statewide Digital Sports Betting
Missouri voters have approved a proposal to legalize digital sports betting statewide, something that legislators had failed to pass in more than five sessions.
Missouri state sign. Missouri voters approve digital sports betting.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The measure won by the slimmest of margins, just half a percentage point, or roughly 14,000 votes. Despite an opposition campaign from Caesars that temporarily held up the proposal, the measure succeeded after Caesars decided to withdraw $1 million worth of scheduled TV ads in October.
Each Casino to Qualify for Digital Betting License
The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) recently clarified that under Amendment 2, each casino location will qualify for its own digital betting license. Earlier interpretations caused many to believe that only one license would be granted per casino company, regardless of location.
This legislation makes Missouri the only state this year to expand legal gambling statewide. Among Missouri’s neighboring states, only Oklahoma has yet to legalize some form of sports betting.
The push for legalization in Missouri has been long and challenging. In the end, it required the support of professional sports teams from the state. Earlier this year, St. Louis Cardinals CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. led an effort by Missouri's professional sports teams to secure an initiative on the ballot following frustration at years of legislative inaction.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Back Campaign
Once approval was given for the inclusion of the issue on the balance, major operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel funded the campaign with over $40 million in donations, making it the most well-funded ballot measure in Missouri’s history. Caesars was the only casino operator to publicly oppose the initiative, supporting a “no” campaign with $14 million.
Related: Missouri Sees Record Campaign Contributions as Sports Betting, Casino Votes Loom
This victory marks the first successful initiative for digital operators in recent years, following setbacks in California and Florida in 2022. Amendment 2 will open the door for up to 22 digital sports betting platforms in Missouri, with licenses available to each of the state’s 13 casinos and seven designated professional sports teams. Additionally, two independent mobile licenses will be available. Another proposed measure, Amendment 5, which would have allowed for an additional land-based casino license, did not pass.
The MGC will now begin establishing guidelines and reviewing applications for digital sports betting licenses. Based upon other states, it will take six to 12 months for the gaming commission to complete the process and launch betting services.
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