- Millions were donated this week to two campaigns that support and oppose the Missouri sports betting initiative
- DraftKings donated an additional $5 million in support of the ballot initiative
- Caesars donated $6.7 million through two of its Missouri casinos in opposition of the initiative
Campaign donations are flowing into Missouri as the proponents and opponents of legalized sports betting are gearing up for the stretch run leading into the Nov. 5 general election.
DraftKings donated an additional $5 million to the Winning for Missouri Education campaign in support of legalized sports betting, while Caesars donated an additional $6.7 million to Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, an anti-sports betting campaign in the state.
Voters will decide the fate of the state’s sports betting ballot initiative when they go head to the general election polls next month.
Millions Donated For, Against Sports Betting
Both sides have seen millions donated to help support their campaigns. At stake? A new constitutional amendment to potentially legalize online and retail sports betting in the Show-Me State.
If approved, each Missouri sports team and casino would be eligible to operate retail and online sports betting. Each team and casino would be eligible for one retail sports betting license through the bill. Additionally, each sports team and casino would be eligible for one online sports betting license. Each team and casino would be able to partner with one online sports betting operator.
DraftKings and FanDuel are the main supporters of the Winning for Missouri Education campaign to legalize sports betting. With the latest donation of $5 million, the two sports betting giants have contributed more than $26.5 million to the campaign.
Caesars stands on the opposite side of the table, having donated nearly $11 million to the Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment. Caesars has largely made donations to the campaign through its various Missouri casinos for a total of $10,861,456.85:
- Caesars Enterprise Services: $161,456.85
- Tropicana St. Louis: $1,300,000
- Harrah’s North Kansas: $4,700,000
- Isle of Capri Boonville: $4,700,000
While millions are being donated to the Missouri sports betting campaigns, the amount being spent is relatively small when compared with what was spent in California. In 2022, more than $463 million was spent in favor of and against legalized California sports betting, the most expensive ballot initiative campaign in U.S. history.
California voters roundly defeated the sports betting initiative, but will Missouri voters follow suit? The latest polls show state voters are in favor of the amendment by a fairly wide margin, with more than 52% of those polled supporting the initiative compared with 25% opposed.
Why is Caesars Supporting Anti-Missouri Sports Betting Campaign?
Caesars Entertainment has invested heavily to support the anti-Missouri sports betting campaign, which seems counterintuitive coming from a massive gaming company. However, Caesars likely has a problem with the way the sports betting ballot initiative will dole out licenses in the state if approved.
Under the proposed ballot initiative, the state’s casinos would receive a single online sports betting license and two untethered licenses will be available for sports betting companies to operate in Missouri. Caesars likely has a problem with this aspect of the proposed initiative, as previous iterations of Missouri sports betting bills allowed casino operators to have multiple online sports betting skins.
Neither DraftKings or FanDuel operate a casino in the state, so it’s likely they would be in line to receive the untethered licenses.
As the deadline for the Missouri sports betting ballot initiative approaches, donors on both sides of the debate are ramping up their efforts and pouring millions of dollars into last-minute campaigns.
Supporters of the initiative, which would legalize sports betting in the state, have received significant contributions from a variety of sources. The biggest donor is DraftKings, a major player in the sports betting industry, which has contributed over $2 million to the campaign. Other supporters include FanDuel, MGM Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment, all of whom have donated substantial amounts to help push the initiative through.
On the other side of the debate, opponents of the initiative have also been busy raising funds to try and defeat the measure. The biggest donor to the anti-sports betting campaign is the Missouri Baptist Convention, which has contributed over $1 million to fight against the legalization of sports betting in the state. Other opponents include various religious organizations and conservative groups who believe that sports betting will lead to an increase in problem gambling and other social issues.
Both sides of the debate have been running aggressive ad campaigns in the weeks leading up to the election, with supporters touting the potential economic benefits of legalized sports betting and opponents warning of the negative consequences. The outcome of the vote is still uncertain, as polls show a close race with a significant number of undecided voters.
Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: donors on both sides of the Missouri sports betting debate are willing to spend big money to try and sway public opinion in their favor. It remains to be seen whether their efforts will pay off when voters head to the polls on election day.
