A major US sportsbook operator just added $500,000 to the coffers of the group collecting signatures to put Missouri sports betting on the 2024 ballot.
DraftKings donated $500,000 to Winning for Missouri Education, the committee behind the push to get a sports betting initiative on the Missouri ballot this November. The Boston-based operator had previously made two donations to Winning for Education — $250,000 and $500,000 — in January, bringing its total donations up to $1.25 million.
FanDuel also made $1.75 million in donations to Winning for Missouri Education in January. So the two sports betting titans have combined to send $3 million to the committee’s signature-gathering efforts.
May 5 is an important date for this ballot initiative
With legislative gridlock potentially (likely) standing in the way of the three currently active bills that would legalize sports betting in Missouri, this ballot initiative effort could be the most viable path to legalizing Missouri sportsbooks. An initiative must receive 180,000 signatures by May 5 in order to appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Last week, Winning for Missouri Education announced it had already eclipsed 100,000 signatures.
“We are seeing strong support in the signature gathering effort because Missourians know it is time to legalize sports betting and use the funding for education,” Winning for Missouri Education spokesperson Jack Cardetti said in a press release. “It’s not only good for our economy but will support our teachers and future generations of Missourians for years to come.”
The ballot initiative would tax sports betting operators at 10%. The tax funding would go exclusively to public education.
There are reasons to believe residents want legal sports betting
Super Bowl 58 showed a clear desire for legal sports wagering in Missouri.
According to GeoComply, the leading geolocation services company used by most major US sportsbooks, over 40,500 Missouri residents attempted to place bets on Super Bowl 58. That marked a 30% increase from activity in Missouri for Super Bowl 57.
In addition, in a recent poll from Emerson College, 62% of Missouri voters said they’d be in favor of legalized sports betting that solely funded public education.
