Missourians Weigh In on Sports Betting Ballot Measure: A Clash of Campaigns and Strategies

The battle over a sports betting constitutional amendment on Missouri's November ballot has intensified, with both sides employing strategic maneuvers to sway voters. As the campaign opposing the measure canceled over $1 million in television ads, the group supporting it launched new ads featuring a beloved former baseball player. This dynamic shift in tactics highlights the high stakes and fierce competition surrounding this pivotal ballot initiative.

Navigating the High-Stakes Sports Betting Landscape in Missouri

The Opposing Campaign's Shift in Strategy

Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, the group opposing Amendment 2, had initially reserved nearly $4 million worth of television ads to counter the measure. However, the campaign has now canceled over $1.2 million of those ads, signaling a strategic shift in their approach. According to Brooke Foster, a spokeswoman for the group, the decision was made to focus more on grassroots outreach and community conversations in the final two weeks before Election Day.This move comes as the group supporting Amendment 2, Winning for Missouri Education, has ramped up its own advertising efforts. The committee backing the measure has become the most-funded ballot measure campaign in Missouri's history, with the two largest sports betting giants, FanDuel and DraftKings, each contributing $15.8 million to the cause.

The Battle for Voter Sentiment

The cancellation of the opposing campaign's television ads has narrowed the lead that Amendment 2 had enjoyed in the polls. An August St. Louis University/YouGov poll showed that 50% of voters surveyed supported sports wagering, while only 30% opposed the ballot language. However, the subsequent television ads opposing Amendment 2 had tightened the race, bringing it to a "margin of error type close," according to Foster.Winning for Missouri Education has responded by increasing the size of some of its television purchases and emphasizing support for the measure from professional sports teams. The campaign is determined to ensure that Missourians are aware of the benefits of legalizing sports betting, as the state seeks to align itself with the 38 other states and Washington D.C. that currently offer some form of legalized sports wagering.

The Implications of Amendment 2

If approved by voters, Amendment 2 would set the sports betting tax rate at 10% and allow Missouri's professional sports franchises and the state's 13 casinos to operate both retail and online sports betting. Additionally, two online betting platforms would be eligible to receive a license, further expanding the reach of the industry in the state.The high-stakes battle over Amendment 2 is not limited to the sports betting industry alone. Voters in Missouri will also be deciding on whether to overturn the state's ban on abortion and raise the minimum wage, adding to the significance of this election cycle.As the campaign season enters its final stretch, both sides are intensifying their efforts to sway the electorate. The outcome of this ballot measure will have far-reaching implications for the future of sports betting in Missouri, as well as the broader political landscape in the state.