JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI – The mayors of Missouri’s two largest cities today
endorsed Amendment 2, which would legalize sports betting and generate over $100
million in new funding for public education. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Kansas
City Mayor Quinton Lucas say it’s long past time that we join 7 of our 8 neighboring
states, where many Missourians now travel to place sports bets and spend money in
our neighboring economies. Jones and Lucas both made it clear that Amendment 2 will
help keep money in Missouri.
“Every time a Missourians has to drive across the river to Illinois to place a sports bet is
a missed opportunity for our city, our state and our passionate sports fans,” said Mayor
Jones. “Missourians are betting on sports, we just aren’t getting any of the benefit.
Amendment 2 will change this by allowing Missourians to place bets in a regulated, safe
way that actually benefits our local economies and classrooms.”
The endorsements from the St. Louis and Kansas City mayors follow endorsements
from the St. Louis and Kansas City Building Trades Councils, as well as the Kansas City
Star and St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“Whether it’s hosting the World Cup, playoff baseball or Monday Night Football, or being
home to the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional sports
team, Kansas City is a great sports town,” said Mayor Lucas. “Fans of Missouri’s six
professional sports teams are some of the most passionate, knowledgeable in the entire
country, but unfortunately live in one of only a dozen states that hasn’t legalized sports
betting. Now is the time to allow our teams to further engage with these fans, while also
keeping the money from sports betting right here on the Missouri side of State Line
Road.”
The Kansas City Star’s endorsement emphasized that the revenue from sports betting
should stay within Missouri to benefit the state’s education system rather than going to
neighboring states, “”Missourians can easily travel to other states to place legal bets on
sporting events… If sports betting is going to happen, and it is, we think it’s better to
keep the money in the state.”
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also highlighted the importance of regulating and taxing an
industry that is already thriving in other states:
“Sports betting is here to stay. Missourians will do it whether their state sanctions and
taxes it or not, taking their bets out of state or offshore if there aren’t other options.
Legalization allows not only taxation but regulation.”
A comprehensive study released this fall projects that the legalization of sports betting
in Missouri would generate $105.0 million for Missouri public education over the next
five years. As Missouri voters prepare to vote on Amendment 2 in November, the study
sheds light on the impact the 10% tax on sports wagering would have on Missouri
classrooms. The measure would allow both retail and online sports betting and bring the
state in line with 7 of Missouri’s 8 neighboring states.
For more information on Amendment 2 and how it will support Missouri’s schools,
visit yeson2mo.com.
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