The Missouri Pro Sports Coalition is looking to put the future of Missouri sports betting in the hands of the state’s voting population. Whether their attempt will be successful remains to be seen. But one thing is an absolute certainty: They aren’t messing around.
For so long, the fate of sports betting in Missouri has been left to the House of Representatives and the Senate. That hasn’t worked out so well for sports gambling enthusiasts. Legalized sports betting in Kansas, Missouri’s most direct neighbor, is already live, but The Show-Me State continues to lag behind. Their delay and opposition persist for a multitude of reasons. And while experts and insiders around the industry believe sports betting will be legalized in Missouri at some point, almost everyone agrees it could be quite some time before it is officially greenlit.
However, ahead of the 2024 calendar year, the Missouri Pro Sports Coalition is trying to open an alternative avenue to legal sports gambling.
The Missouri Pro Sports Coalition Filed Four Different Sports Betting Proposals in the Middle of September
Getting sports betting legalized through less orthodox pathways is typically extremely difficult. But the Missouri Pro Sports Coalition believes the state legislature has left them no choice. Here’s Pat Evans from Legal Sports Report with the full details:
“Missouri voters might get a chance to weigh in on sports betting if state lawmakers fail to pass legislation again next year. Last week, the Missouri Pro Sports Coalition filed four proposals with the Missouri Secretary of State to amend the state constitution to allow for Missouri sportsbooks. If approved by the Secretary of State, the petitions must receive at least 8 percent of registered voters’ signatures in six of eight Missouri districts, a minimum of approximately 172,000 signatures.
“St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III told LSR this summer that the ballot proposals were coming. DeWitt also said he does not foresee much change at the legislative level, which has seen sports betting bills fall short two straight years because of Sen. Denny Hoskins‘ desire to include video lottery terminals in the legislation.”
This is, for the most part, an unprecedented push by professional franchises. Five of the six professional franchises in the state make up the coalition, including the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), Kansas City Royals (MLB), St. Louis Blues (NHL), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) and St. Louis SC (MLS). The only organization left off, as of now, is Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Additional Details of Missouri Sports Betting Proposals
Though the Missouri Pro Sports Coalition filed four separate petitions, the general framework of each is roughly the same. Let’s run through the confirmed details of the legal sports gambling proposals:
- All four petitions would legalize retail sports betting at various locations.
- All four proposals would allow online sportsbooks in the United States to enter the Missouri market.
- These initiatives would allocate 39 Missouri sports betting licenses to be split among retail and online operations.
- Casinos and Missouri sports teams, in addition to veteran sportsbooks, would be eligible to apply for and receive gambling licenses.
- The proposed Missouri sports betting tax rate is 10 percent in each proposal; this is considered a relatively standard amount relative to the rest of the country.
As you can tell, the meat and potatoes of every petition is mostly the same. The biggest difference among them, according to Legal Sports Report: The number of Missouri sports betting licenses that would be granted to online operators. Each proposal contains a different number, ranging from one online sportsbook license all the way up to four.
What are the Odds This Attempt to Legalize Sports Betting in Missouri is Successful?
This question is difficult to answer. Pretty much everything hinges on whether the Missouri Secretary State, Jay Ashcroft, approves it. At this writing, it isn’t clear where he’ll stand on the issue. Ashcroft is a member of the Republican party, which has historically held staunch opposition to sports betting. Given how he allegedly elevated numerous voter fraud conspiracy theories, that may not bode well for his view on this issue. He has also declared his intent to run for Missouri Governor in 2024, which could impact how he treats this matter.
Carrying out these petitions can run millions of dollars in operating costs. Missouri’s pro sports teams, however, are clearly committed to footing that bill. This could, in theory, help their chances of getting the measure approved.
There is, of course, always the chance that Missouri legalizes sports betting during 2024 legislative sessions. The issue has been front and center for a couple of years now, and the launch of sports betting in Kansas may convince certain holdouts to throw their support behind a proposal that allows the state to regulate and tax gambling that’s already taking place.
Still, most aren’t hopeful ahead of these 2024 meetings. Senator Denny Hoskins, despite what he’s maintained, has almost single handedly derailed the past few sports betting campaigns by filibustering and obsessing over the legalization of video lottery terminals. The expectation is that he’ll do the same again next year.
Perhaps Senator Hoskins changes his stance. Or maybe the House and Senate find a compromise that allows them to move forward anyway. Without an ironclad guarantee, though, this maneuver by the Missouri Pro Sports Coalition looms as incredibly important. In fact, the future of Missouri sports betting might actually hinge on its outcome.
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