Sports Franchises Team Up in Missouri to Get Sports Betting on 2024 Ballot

Here is everything you need to know about the latest Missouri sports betting news.

Sports Franchises Team Up in Missouri to Get Sports Betting on 2024 Ballot (September 11, 2023)

The Kansas City Chiefs, Royals and Current are partnering with the St. Louis Cardinals, Blues and St. Louis SC Soccer to get sports betting on the ballot for 2024.

“We’re working on sort of pulling that whole group together so that we’re all sort of rowing in the same direction in trying to make sports betting legal in Missouri,” said Bill DeWitt III, St. Louis Cardinals President in an interview with KMBC.

His team is working along side the likes of Draft Kings, Fan Duel and some of the casinos.  Currently, Missouri gamblers rely solely on offshore sportsbooks (internationally licensed) and local bookies.

“We believe having it taxed, regulated, and having various protections in there, for example for a problem gaming fund, is part of our approach,” DeWitt said.

The Kansas City Royals have issued a statement in regard to the coalition.

“Like the vast majority of Americans, we support legalized and responsibly regulated sports betting as an exciting new way for fans to engage with their favorite teams and sports. We welcome and encourage the progress being made in Missouri and believe all of our fans should have the same opportunities as those in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, and other states across the country."

Missouri lawmakers do not seem to be on the same page.  In past efforts to get sports gambling legalized, conflicts existed between those who flat out don't want any form of gambling expansion and those who want to include lottery terminals throughout the state.  And there is not a whole lot of compromise.

Now it's up to the voters to decide.

Currently, the coalition has submitted four slightly different ballot initiatives to Missouri’s Secretary of State.

“We will I think pretty quickly narrow that down to one ballot initiative,” DeWitt said.

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com