Missouri Sports Betting Ballot Initiative Ruling Could Come Thursday

Michael Savio
By: Michael Savio
09/05/2024
Sports Betting
Missouri Sports Betting Ballot Initiative Ruling Could Come Thursday
Photo Courtesy of Bev Skyes from Davis, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0

Key Takeaways

  • A court will review the legal challenge on Thursday
  • The lawsuit claims old district maps were used when approving the initiative
  • Polls are mixed on public support for legalizing sports betting

The fate of Missouri’s sports betting ballot initiative could be decided as soon as this week.

The Cole County Circuit Court will hold a hearing on Thursday to determine if the Missouri Secretary of State’s office incorrectly confirmed the initiative. If the Court finds that they did, it will lead to the topic of sports betting being left off the November ballot.

If the challenge fails, voters will decide if the state will legalize sports betting in 2025.

Pro Sports Team Behind Initiative

The ballot initiative was supported by a group called Winning for Missouri Education. It is comprised of the state’s pro sports franchises and partially funded by sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel. 

The initiative was started after years of legislative deadlock over the topic of sports betting. Some were pushing for controversial slot-style gaming to be legalized and fought any bill that did not include it. All signs pointed to the problem continuing indefinitely, which led the pro sports organizations to take action.

Challenge Alleges Old Maps Used

The challenge, filed by two political consultants, alleges that the office used outdated voting maps when they approved the signatures from the ballot initiative. Ballot initiatives require a certain amount of signatures from different voting districts. 

While the Secretary of State confirmed the signatures met those requirements, the lawsuit alleges they used outdated maps. Those maps were recently withdrawn, and the plaintiffs allege they were not used when confirming the ballot initiative’s success. 

Missouri Secretary of State John Ashcroft has denied the allegations, saying that the new maps were used when the signatures were confirmed.

The future of Missouri Sports Betting Remains Uncertain

While this is the closest the Show-Me State has come to legalizing sports betting, it is still far from guaranteed to pass. Part of that is due to the current legal challenge, which could succeed in keeping the topic off the November ballot.

Even if the lawsuit failed this week, polling has been mixed for sports betting to become legal. Some have strongly supported the industry, while others show the majority still oppose legalization. 

Michael Savio covers the US online casino industry, giving readers insights and information they won’t find anywhere else. He has followed the retail industry since his time living in Las Vegas and has continued to do so as the online industry has taken off. Michael covers everything from online casino reviews to industry news, making him one of the most trusted insiders in the business. Check out Michael’s latest articles at casinos.com to see what he has to offer!