Caesars Entertainment Joins Fight Against Missouri Sports Betting

The battle is on in Missouri as residents vote in November for a legal sports betting industry and access to a selection of our best sports betting sites.

Records published by the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) have revealed that gambling giant Caesars Entertainment has substantially invested in the campaign against the proposed legalization of the Missouri sports betting scene.

The Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment (MADOGA) campaign, launched last week, aims to convince voters to reject Amendment 2, which seeks to legalize sports betting in Missouri.

MADOGA argues that while the measure is pitched as a means to boost funding for public education, it primarily benefits gambling operators and fails to address problem gambling issues. Caesars has contributed $4 million to MADOGA through its various casino brands, including $1.4 million from Harrah’s North Kansas City and $1.3 million each from Isle of Capri Boonville and Tropicana St Louis. 

Meanwhile, other major online sports betting companies - FanDuel and DraftKings - are backing the amendment. MEC records show these two have collectively donated over $9.5 million to support it.

Missouri’s professional sports teams strongly support the bill, including the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, NHL’s St. Louis Blues, and MLB’s Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals.

Amendment details

On November 5, Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize online and in-person sports betting in the state. The decision will be a straightforward yes or no vote and needs more than 50% approval to pass. If Amendment 2 is approved, legal sports betting platforms, including some of our best sports betting apps, could begin operating in Missouri next year.

The amendment proposes partnerships between sports betting operators and land-based casinos and professional sports teams. Caesars and Penn Entertainment would each receive one operating license under the amendment, a reduction from the three licenses initially proposed by state legislators. Similarly, Boyd Gaming, which operates two casinos in Missouri, would be limited to a single license rather than two.

Earlier this month, Missouri residents filed a lawsuit challenging the amendment’s placement on the November ballot, arguing that it did not secure enough valid signatures. However, Judge Daniel Green ruled that the signature count met the state’s referendum requirements, allowing the measure to proceed to the ballot.

An ongoing battle

Missouri remains one of the few states that have yet to launch legal sports betting since the Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.

If approved, the amendment requires that sportsbooks be licensed and operational by Dec. 1, 2025. The state is expected to launch its sports betting market before the start of the 2025 football season.

Following several unsuccessful attempts to pass sports betting legislation over the past few years, several Missouri professional sports teams joined forces in January to form the Winning for Missouri Education Committee. 

The group has just begun its ad campaign before the election, featuring endorsements from a former teacher emphasizing tax revenue's potential benefits. The ad highlights that the proposed tax on sports wagering, which is set at 10%, could generate “tens of millions of dollars” each year for schools and teachers.