Prominent Sportsbooks Lobby for Legal Sports Betting in Missouri

Last updated on January 12th, 2024 at 09:33 pm

Major sportsbooks joined professional sports clubs lobbying for legal sports betting in Missouri. Their goal is to convince voters to legalize the activity in the state. Thus, they formed a political action committee to raise money to find a ballot initiative. Also, sportsbook pay per head reviews and news sites expect the amount to reach millions of dollars.

According to the PAC’s Thursday filing, two major online businesses, FanDuel and DraftKings, donated $250,000 to kickstart the campaign.

The move is made because the state legislature is now in session until mid-May, and the chances of eventually passing a bill to legalize sports betting during this session are low once again.

Caleb Rowden, president of the Senate, expressed his skepticism that the prospect of a popular vote would put enough pressure on legislators to break the deadlock.

Despite House Speaker Dean Plocher’s best efforts, sports betting proposals have languished in the Senate due to differing opinions on combatting the proliferation of unlicensed and untaxed slot machines in many bars and petrol stations.

Legal Sports Betting in Missouri

Because of the impasse, video gambling machines have increased throughout the state without paying taxes on winnings.

The St. Louis Cardinals baseball club and the St. Louis Blues hockey club have been given the green light by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to start collecting signatures for a sports betting item that would be placed on the ballot.

According to online sportsbook software reports, the sports betting behemoths FanDuel and DraftKings can also be involved with the measure on the ballot. By the beginning of May, proponents will have amassed 170,000 signatures from all eligible voters in the state.

Formerly known as “Winning for Missouri Education,” the PAC has since disbanded. If the PAC successfully gets its name on the ballot, it will use the funds it receives to fund an advertising campaign to persuade people to allow sports betting.

Once sports betting is legal in Missouri, you can launch a sportsbook with a pay per head. It is the fastest way to start a bookie business.