The campaign to legalize sports betting in the Show-Me State has reached another signature-collection milestone that may bode well for its efforts to put a wagering-related question on the ballot later this year.
Winning for Missouri Education announced on Wednesday that it has gathered more than 300,000 signatures for its attempt to ask voters in November if they want the state to legalize sports betting.
The group needs to provide around 180,000 "valid" signatures to Missouri’s Secretary of State by May 5. Winning for Missouri Education says it plans to collect another 25,000 or so “gross” signatures before then, or 325,000 total.
"The tremendous support we've seen throughout the state is a testament to Missourians' readiness to bring sports betting revenue home and support our local schools, students and teachers in the process,” Winning for Missouri Education spokesperson Jack Cardetti said in a press release. “As the campaign approaches our goal of putting this on the November ballot, Missouri is a step closer to allowing Missouri adults to bet on sports, while generating tens of millions in annual funding for our classrooms.”
Legislative efforts to authorize sports betting in Missouri have consistently failed in Jefferson City, chiefly over one lawmaker’s wish to see video lottery terminals legalized as well. As a result, Missouri is one of just 12 states that have not legalized sports betting, even as neighbors such as Kansas and Illinois have.
However, those failures inspired Missouri’s six professional sports teams to band together as Winning for Missouri Education to try to go around the legislature and have voters approve sports wagering directly.
That campaign is picking up steam, at least according to the group itself. It's also received support in public polling, such as an Emerson College survey released in February that suggested 62% of voters would back sports wagering if it is on the ballot this year.
“The campaign continues to urge Missourians to lend their support as it prepares for this next phase of the campaign, aiming to secure a victory for education funding in November,” Wednesday’s press release noted.
The basics
While several sports betting-related initiative petitions are approved for circulation in Missouri, the rough outline of what is being pushed by the sports franchises would amend the state constitution to permit in-person wagering at casinos and at or near team venues. It would also allow online sports betting throughout the state.
The Missouri Gaming Commission would be the entity in charge of licensing operators to offer sports betting. Residents would have to be physically located in the state to play and be 21 or older.
The deadline for launching legal sports betting in Missouri would be no later than Dec. 31, 2025, according to the proposed ballot measure. The measure's language also appears to classify fantasy pick'em games played against the house as sports wagering, not fantasy contests.
Tax time
Bookmakers would pay a 10% tax on their revenue. Operators would be allowed to deduct the value of free bets and other bonuses to players from their taxable revenue, but those deductions would be capped at 25% of a bookmaker's monthly handle.
Most of the tax money raised would fund education in Missouri, although $5 million in revenue would be earmarked for a problem gambling fund.
Applicants to run retail sportsbooks would have to pay a fee of up to $250,000, and that permit would have to be renewed every five years at a similar cost. Mobile licenses would require a fee of up to $500,000 and also require renewal every five years.
“State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $326,000, ongoing costs of $4.4 million annually, initial license fee revenue of $6.75 million, and ongoing annual tax revenue ranging from $6.4 million to $26.7 million by the fourth year of implementation,” the secretary of state’s website says. “Local governments estimate unknown revenue.”
