Sports Betting in Missouri Has Bi-Partisan Support

The measure to legalize sports betting in Missouri that will be voted on during November 2024 general elections has support from both of the gubernatorial candidates from The Show Me State.

During the first gubernatorial debate earlier this week, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (Republican) and Representative Crystal Quade both conveyed their support for the bill, known as Amendment 2, that would approve online sports betting in Missouri.

Voters, of course, will have the final say. That is what Winning for Missouri Education has always wanted. The coalition is led by a group of pro sports teams in the market. Together, they submitted a petition to legalize sports betting in Missouri that included over 370,000 signatures. Their efforts are also backed by a couple of online sportsbooks in the United States. Both DraftKings and FanDuel, for instance, committed millions of dollars to the cause.

The road to get here has included twists and turns. Previously, attempts to legalize sports betting in Missouri have featured filibustering from parties looking to expand parameters. Namely, Senator Denny Hoskins has repeatedly tried to include Video Lottery Terminals as part of any measure. This is why Winning for Missouri Education exists. They want to put the matter in the hands of voters. To do it, they have circumvented traditional means of approval.

Granted, this route is not without opposition. A mysterious lawsuit was filed in response to the petition just a few weeks ago. But after a county judge recently threw it out, Missouri sports betting will now appear on the November ballot without issue.

The question now becomes whether voters will green light Amendment 2. And for our purposes, we must also wonder how much bi-partisan support for sports betting in Missouri actually matters.

Do Not Underestimate the Significance of Sports Betting in Missouri Appealing to Both Parties

Though voters will determine the fate of Missouri sports betting, it is a fairly big deal that both Lt. Gov. Kehoe and Rep. Quade both support Amendment 2. Winning for Missouri Education even sent out a statement following the candidates’ comments.

“We are honored that the two leading candidates to be Missouri’s next chief executive both endorse legalizing sports betting as a new permanent, dedicated funding source for our classrooms, and plan to vote yes on Amendment 2,” spokesperson Jack Cardetti said in a release (via Legal Sports Report).

Bi-partisan support isn’t necessarily rare when it comes to the legalization of sports betting in the United States. But it is more of a wild card inside states that have yet to make the transition. On top of that, many wondered whether the circumvention of conventional approval would rub either candidate (and party) the wrong way.

It turns out this is a non-issue. And that speaks to the absurdity of previous contests. Senator Hoskins’ view on Video Lottery Terminals and his subsequent filibustering clearly aren’t representative of the governing body at large.

As a result, the current impulse is to wonder how much earlier sports betting in Missouri could have been legalized. But that does journey too far ahead of the game. Amendment 2 still needs residents to vote “yes.”

Evidence Mounting that Voters Support the Legalization of Sports Betting

A short while ago, Missouri voters seemed split on the legalization of sports betting. In fact, as recently as last year, multiple polls showed plenty of opposition among the voting population.

However, more recent surveys are painting a different picture. From Nick Beare of Legal Sports Report:

“The third poll, which Fox 4/Emerson College conducted in January 2024, surveyed 1,830 registered voters and found much different results. Sixty-two percent of participants said they would support an initiative to legalize sports betting, while 38% said they would vote no. The fourth poll, which SLU/YouGov conducted from Feb. 14 to 26, 2024, surveyed 900 likely voters on various political issues. Sixty percent of those polled said they would support legalizing sports betting, 25% opposed it, and 14% were unsure.”

To be sure, these polls are not always perfectly telltale. Margins for error can be pretty huge. But it speaks volumes that two separate polls conducted this year portray a voting population of sports betting in Missouri.

Bake in bi-partisan support from the two gubernatorial candidates, and there is a chance the approval rating only grows. Constituents will now be treated to messaging from both parties on the merits of Amendment 2. More voters seem likely to shift from “undecided” or “no” to “yes” than vice versa.

What is Driving the Increase of Support for Missouri Sports Betting?

Aside from bi-partisan approval, recent economic studies have helped boost support for sports betting in Missouri.

Most notably, the gaming research firm Eilers & Krejcik estimated that sports betting in Missouri could eventually generate around $560 million in additional revenue for the state each year. That number is enough to pique the attention of sports betting opponents.

Beyond that, though, there is the mission statement implicit of Winning for Missouri Education. Amendment 2 stipulates a large chunk of sports betting proceeds be funneled toward public education. And the coalition estimates that sports betting could raise up to $105 million for schools over the next half-decade.

Combine these forecasts with relatively positive messaging coming from both political parties, and you reach a decisive conclusion. At this point, it would be a real surprise if sports betting in Missouri is not legalized during November elections.

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