Missouri Voters to Decide on Sports Wagering Initiative in November 2024

By Scott Bowen,
Editor at online-gambling.com

Scott Bowen Editor at online-gambling.com

Scott Bowen is a casino expert and editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He is one of the most valuable members of our team at online-gambling.com. Bowen specializes in writing on a variety of subjects, including roulette, blackjack, video poker, sports betting, and more.

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Last updated: September 7, 2024

After several years of back and forth, Missouri voters will have the chance to decide if retail and online sports betting will finally become legal in the state. On Friday, September 6, it became clear that the Missouri wagering initiative, also known as Amendment 2, will appear on the upcoming November 2024 ballot. But are residents from the state ready and willing to make this significant step?

The Missouri Wagering Initiative

Following years of unsuccessful legislative attempts to legalize sports betting, the Missouri wagering initiative has been a long time coming. In the November 2024 general election ballot, residents of the state will be able to vote “yes” or “no” on the subject. According to the local news reports, Missourians appear to be in two minds about it, but they pretty much agree on one thing – it’s highly possible that the initiative will pass.

One of Amendment 2’s key selling points is the potential benefits it would have for the public. There’s a planned 10% tax on revenues received by any licensed sports betting operator in the state. The generated amount will be appropriated for education and problem gambling programs. For reference, Kansas, Missouri’s western neighbor, legalized wagering activities in 2022. In 2023, the revenue from sports betting in the Sunflower State was $63 million, and Kansas received just over $6 million in taxes.

What Happens If Missourians Vote “Yes”

If Missourians vote “yes” at the polls on November 5, 2024, and Amendment 2 gets approved, the state constitution will be amended to reflect the changes. That said, sports betting could potentially launch in the state in late 2025 and become available for anyone over the age of 21. The only other requirement is that you are physically present in Missouri when placing real money bets.

The efforts to legalize sports betting in the state have been supported by companies like DraftKings and FanDuel, so we expect them to be among the first to launch their services for gamblers from Missouri. We’ll make sure to keep you posted on any future updates. Revenue from the sector will be allocated to education and covering administrative costs and contributions to the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund.

What Happens If Missourians Vote “No”

In case Missouri voters are not swayed by the different marketing campaigns and the potential benefits for the educational sector in the state, sports betting could still potentially be legalized in the future. However, given their track records, we expect legislators will have a hard time with that. Multiple bills have been introduced over the years but none of them successful.

Before a change is made, the only option for sports betting enthusiasts in Missouri will remain the neighboring states that have legalized such activities. You can visit Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, and Illinois, to name a few. The Arkansas Racing Commission approved online sports betting rules a couple of years back, so the Natural State is also on the table.