ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri Sports Teams from both sides of the state are banning up again, but this time on a campaign to collect signatures in an effort to put the issue of legalizing sports betting on the 2024 ballot.
The St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis City SC and St. Louis Blues, along with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Current are working to collect signatures beginning this week so the issue of sports betting can be put up to voters on the 2024 election ballot.
"We would prefer to achieve this through the legislative process. However, while the sports wagering bills that we have supported during the past couple of years have overwhelmingly passed in the Missouri House and have also had the support of a majority of the Missouri Senate, those bills have been repeatedly blocked in the Missouri Senate and not allowed to proceed to a vote in the Missouri Senate." said Cardinals President Bill Dewitt III in a statement. "Therefore, as we are not optimistic that this pattern will change during the upcoming legislative session, we are currently proceeding with an initiative petition campaign to put the issue of legalized sports wagering on the ballot for Missouri voters in 2024."
According to the group, recent estimates suggest that Missourians place roughly $2 billion a year in bets using offshore gaming websites, while other Missourians drive to neighboring states to place wagers.
They says by legalizing sports gaming in Missouri, the initiative petition would stop illegal offshore activity on gambling, and the money from gambling could be used instead provide tens of millions of dollars annually for our classrooms, where teachers in Missouri are the third lowest paid in the entire country.
The Cardinals and Blues will begin efforts to collect signatures starting this week, with signature collections at this weekend’s Cardinals Care Winter Warm-Up at Busch Stadium, Ballpark Village and Blues home hockey games at the Enterprise Center.