Last updated on August 24th, 2024 at 02:04 pm
A lawsuit wants to block a proposed sports betting amendment on the November ballot in Missouri. The amendment will legalize sports wagering in the state. The lawsuit argued that the Missouri Secretary of State’s methodology to collect signatures was unconstitutional.
Petitions for new initiatives need the support of eight percent of eligible voters in six of the eight congressional districts in the state to be considered for inclusion on the ballot. A complaint claimed that the secretary of state’s office failed to consider the redrew districts after the 2020 U.S. Census when determining if sufficient valid signatures were obtained. However, the addresses of petition signatories were determined using the existing district borders.
According to sportsbook pay per head experts, the complaint argues that the plan would not have passed in the 1st Congressional District if the count had been based on the actual district borders.
Sports Betting Amendment in Missouri
The complaint claims that the secretary of state should have used the following formula to determine the necessary number of signatures per district: total votes cast in the 2020 gubernatorial election, multiplied by 8%, and then divided by 8. That would have meant the 1st and 5th Districts were disappointed with the plan.
The complaint also claims that the secretary of state’s office accepted illegal signatures in the 1st and 5th Districts.
After significant sports teams and casino firms were again unable to pass legislation, the sports wagering proposal was introduced towards the end of last year. Major professional sports clubs have taken the lead in publicizing the campaign. On the other hand, FanDuel and DraftKings, the two biggest online sports betting companies, have donated $6.3 million to the flagship effort. It is part of their plan to becoming a bookie in the state.
With this contribution, the campaign’s fundraising efforts have surpassed $10 million for the Winning for Missouri Education political action committee (PAC). The contribution’s timing is remarkable since it comes only three days after the Missouri Secretary of State determined that the initiative had enough valid signatures to be included on the November ballot.
Lawsuit is Without Merits
St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III characterized Wednesday’s lawsuit as totally without substance as many Missourians signed the petition that will be on the ballot in November. Voters will decide this autumn whether to impose a 10% tax on gambling sector winnings, calculated after deducting promotional expenses and other expenditures. In June, wagers totaling $172 million were received in Kansas, a state that legalized sports betting in 2022. A comparable tax system generated $9.8 million.
The ballot wording estimates Missouri might receive up to $28.9 million per year, most of which would go toward educational initiatives.
According to a March survey by St. Louis University and YouGov and February polling data from Emerson College, over 60% of Missourians support allowing sports betting, so public sentiment seems to be on the side of the proposal. According to Bwager.com sportsbook software sources, this support encompasses rural and urban parts of the state and does not seem party-specific.
Sign Up Now and Experience the Future of Sports Betting with Bwager.com Today!
