Missouri Court Upholds Sports Betting Initiative on November Ballot

A Missouri circuit court has upheld the state's sports betting initiative, ensuring its place on the November ballot. Judge Daniel Green of the Cole County Circuit Court ruled in favor of Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, rejecting all claims that sought to invalidate Ashcroft’s certification of the initiative.

The ruling is a significant victory for proponents of sports betting in Missouri, particularly for the “Winning for Missouri Education” campaign supporting Amendment 2. Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for the campaign, welcomed the court's decision:

“Today’s ruling, while expected, is nevertheless a big victory for Missourians, who overwhelmingly want to join the 38 other states that allow sports betting, so that we can provide tens of millions in permanent, dedicated funding each year to our public schools. For too many years, Missourians have watched as fans cross state lines to place sport bets, which deprives our Missouri public schools of much needed funding.”

 

Court’s Examination of Legal Challenges

The plaintiffs in the case argued that the initiative’s certification was flawed, focusing on the validity of signatures gathered in support of the measure. The most critical claim asserted that 83 signatures in Missouri’s Congressional District 1 should have been invalidated, pointing out that the initiative only passed in that district by 82 signatures. In Thursday’s hearing, the plaintiffs presented over 750 signatures they wanted to disqualify for various reasons, such as mismatches in voter details or alleged ineligibility. However, the court dismissed these arguments, particularly discrediting the plaintiffs' handwriting expert, who had no prior familiarity with the signatures in question.

Additionally, evidence cards showing voters’ inactive status were dated after the lawsuit had been filed, weakening claims about voter ineligibility at the time the petition was signed. The initiative campaign, which was permitted to intervene, also presented an additional 652 signatures that should have been counted in the district.

Other claims focused on procedural issues regarding how Secretary Ashcroft's office verified signatures and applied redistricting rules, but the court found the methods consistent with past practice.

“The method the Secretary used was the same as that used by other Secretaries of State and is the same method the Secretary used to certify all initiatives in 2022 and 2024,” Judge Green wrote in his ruling.

 

 

Appeal Expected

While the court’s decision allows the sports betting initiative to remain on the ballot, the plaintiffs are expected to appeal. A final ruling will need to be reached soon, as the ballot must be finalized by next week.

The lawsuit has raised questions about potential opposition to the sports betting measure. Jacqueline Wood and Blake Lawrence, political consultants based in Missouri, filed the lawsuit, represented by attorney Marc Ellinger. Ellinger previously represented the Missouri Gaming Association, which comprises the state's 13 casinos. Notably, some casino operators are reportedly unhappy with certain aspects of the initiative. Specifically, concerns have emerged over the interpretation of “skins,” or licenses for mobile betting apps, which could impact how many betting platforms each casino can operate.

Despite internal disagreements, the St. Louis Cardinals and other major Missouri sports teams have been leading advocates for the initiative. FanDuel and DraftKings, two national online gaming operators, have funded the campaign to bring sports betting to the state. As the case moves through the courts, Missourians will watch closely to see if the measure makes it to the November ballot, potentially joining 38 other states that have already legalized sports betting.