Machibet APPAGA CEO Releases Statement on Missouri

"I voted" stickers that had awaited voters as we look at the AGA CEO's comments on the passing of Amendment 2. — "I voted" stickers that had awaited voters at a Missouri election. Photo by: Don Shrubshell/Columbia Daily Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK.

It was long awaited, and we've written plenty about it. Missouri residents voted in favor of legalized sports betting in the state, opening the door for residents to gain access to our best sports betting sites.

Residents of the Show-Me State narrowly passed Amendment 2, with the measure going ahead by less than half a percentage point. Out of 2.9 million voters in the state, less than 0.3% of the votes separated the margin between passing and failing, according to unofficial figures out of state offices.

American Gaming Association (AGA) CEO Bill Miller praised the result.

“Missouri voters (Tuesday) night landed a knockout punch to illegal sportsbook operators in their state by voting to support sports betting legalization," he said.

"Missourians will soon be able to bet on sports legally, with consumer protections, responsible gaming measures and expertise within reach, and tax revenues dedicated to public schools," Miller continued. "We applaud these efforts and look forward to supporting the legal, regulated market operators upon launch in the Show Me State.”

The battle

The battle for a legal Missouri sports betting market was hard fought, and some surprising (on the surface) names opposed it, like Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Sportsbook's parent company was a major contributor to the Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment (MADOGA) campaign, which launched in September.

While the sportsbook may seem like a surprising opponent, the opposition is surely tied to the group owning a number of land-based casinos in the state, which may now face increased competition.

There was also pushback from the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee, which echoed a belief that there were issues with the tax rate included in the amendment.

Mike Kehoe, who emerged victorious in the Missouri gubernatorial election, had backed the amendment in late September, cautioning that the state was missing out on potential tax revenue with residents traveling to the legal Kansas sports betting market.

A duo of Caesars' top competitors in DraftKings and FanDuel favored the bill. The trio of sportsbooks donated millions to opposite sides of the battle.

In January, several of the state's professional sports teams joined together to create the Winning for Missouri Education coalition. The group includes the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Current, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City SC, and St. Louis Cardinals. DraftKings and FanDuel were significant contributors to the coalition.

Bill DeWitt III, the president of the St. Louis Cardinals, had been vocal throughout the process in favor of the amendment. He released a statement following the election praising Missourians.

"Missouri has some of the best sports fans in the world, and they showed up big for their favorite teams on Election Day," he said.

Next steps

Generally speaking, it will take a few months to get things underway once legal sports betting has been approved. Amendment 2 was presented in such a way that the market in Missouri must be finalized no later than Dec. 1, 2025.

Hopeful operators will have to go through a licensing process in the state, which will take time. DraftKings and FanDuel will certainly be among those vying for a license. And despite being against the amendment) Caesars will surely have its hat in the ring, too.

While they weren't vocal during the process, other sportsbooks will no doubt jump in due to the low 10% tax rate in the state. Operators such as BetMGM, ESPN BET, and bet365 will look to expand. It really wouldn't be shocking to see many of our best sportsbooks seek to get involved before the dust settles.

Written By:
Andrew Reid

Andrew is a Publishing Editor at Sportsbook Review. He graduated from Acadia University with a degree in Kinesiology, working as a personal trainer and in injury rehab, and then attended the College of Sports Media in Toronto to attain a diploma in Radio and Television Sports Broadcasting. Andrew has been involved in the sports betting and fantasy sports space since joining the FNTSY Sports Network in 2014, where he worked as a producer, director, and occasional on-air talent on various shows focusing on sports betting and DFS content. Prior to joining SBR, he spent multiple years with the USA Today Network as an editor and writer. Living in Newfoundland, Andrew frequents grey market sportsbooks, but in the past, when he's lived in regulated areas, he's become well-versed with all of our best sportsbooks. As strictly a casual bettor, he enjoys making touchdown parlays with friends (bro-lays), sweating out golf cut parlays during majors, playing same-game parlays for fun, and chasing long-shot bets. He also enjoys using sportsbooks that have solid iGaming and casino platforms. As the old guy on staff, he has an affinity for industry news, which confuses some, but shh ... quiet ... the news is on.