Posted on: October 14, 2024, 11:33h.
Last updated on: October 14, 2024, 11:53h.
In the final stretch before the 2024 election, Missouri voters are inundated with gaming campaign ads.
Apart from selecting the next president, Missourians on November 5 will decide if they support authorizing retail and online sportsbooks. They will also vote on expanding casino gambling to the Osage region.
The gaming referendums are citizen-led and require a simple majority to pass. The sports betting question has generated record spending for a Missouri referendum.
Records show that Amendment 2 has led to $46 million in political funding. This surpasses the previous spending record set in 2006 for a referendum in Missouri.
Sportsbook Spending, Caesars Conundrum
The pro-sports wagering lobby has received financial backing from DraftKings and FanDuel. These firms have contributed around $32 million to the political committee supporting sports betting, emphasizing the educational benefits of allowing casinos and sports stadiums to offer betting services.
On the other hand, Caesars Entertainment is funding the opposition campaign, concerned about the number of sportsbook licenses that Amendment 2 would authorize.
Caesars has spent $14 million in opposing Amendment 2. This brings total lobbying spending on the sports betting issue to $46 million. Caesars employs approximately 2,000 people in Missouri.
Bally’s and its Missouri development partner have spent $9.4 million to persuade voters to support Amendment 5, which could lead to a new casino near the Lake of the Ozarks sign.
Bally’s and its partner are highlighting education benefits in their campaign. Amendment 5 would allocate state revenue from the Ozarks casino to early childhood literacy programs in public schools.
There is no organized opposition to Amendment 5. Bally’s aims to make the referendum clear to voters and emphasize the education benefits it would bring.
2024 Election
Missouri is likely to vote Republican for the seventh consecutive US presidential election. Democratic candidates have not won the state since 1996.
Online betting exchange Polymarket gives Donald Trump a 99% chance of winning Missouri and its 10 electoral votes. The state’s heavy Southern cultural influence and conservative nature contribute to its Republican-leaning history.