A judge in Missouri shot down a lawsuit by political consultants that targeted sports betting in the state's November ballot, claiming it was invalid. Instead, the question on sports betting legalization will be included in the November vote - a big win for Missourians, who have been gunning for the legalization of sports betting for years.

In a significant ruling on Friday, a judge from Missouri rejected a lawsuit aimed at removing a crucial question from the upcoming November ballot that seeks voter approval for the legalization of sports betting across the state. The decision, delivered by Circuit Judge Daniel R. Green from Cole County, ensures that Missourians will have the opportunity to decide on the issue this November.

Lawsuit aiming to invalidate question on sports betting in the state

The lawsuit, filed by political consultants Blake Lawrence and Jacqueline Wood, argued that some of the voter signatures necessary to place the sports betting question on the November 5 ballot were invalid. These signatures, however, had already been certified and approved by 116 election officials throughout Missouri and received final certification from Jay Ashcroft, the Secretary of State, on August 13. The lawsuit was initiated shortly after this certification.

In his 12-page final judgment, Judge Green dismissed the lawsuit, stating that "lawsuits seeking to remove an initiative petition from the ballot after it has been certified as sufficient by the Secretary are highly disfavored." He further noted that the plaintiffs had not met their burden of proof, adding that no such challenge had ever succeeded in removing an initiative from the ballot in Missouri's history.

"The parties have not identified any case in the history of Missouri where a Plaintiff has succeeded in removing an initiative from the ballot through a certification challenge," Judge Green wrote. He emphasized that the certified signatures met the legal requirements, therefore allowing the initiative to proceed to a public vote.

Barring any successful legal appeal, Friday's ruling means that Missouri voters will have the chance to decide on the legalization of sports betting on November 5. The deadline of the removal of any proposed amendments from the constitution from the ballot in November is at 5 pm on Tuesday.

A small victory for supporters of sports betting

The ruling was hailed as a major win by the campaign committee advocating for the proposed constitutional amendment, Winning for Missouri Education. The committee has been pushing for the legalization of sports betting as a means to generate substantial funding for the state's public schools.

"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," said committee spokesperson Jack Cardetti. He pointed out that for years, Missourians have watched as neighboring states reaped the financial benefits of sports betting, while Missouri's public schools missed out on much-needed funding. "A vote for Amendment 2 in November will bring those dollars back to Missouri classrooms," Cardetti added.

The secretary of state's office also expressed support for the judge's ruling. JoDonn Chaney, the director of communications for the office, commended the local election authorities for their thorough work in processing the petition signatures. "We applaud the 116 local election authorities across Missouri for their efforts in processing signatures for this petition," Chaney said. "As with all petitions, the secretary of state's office followed statutory procedures to determine whether sports wagering (Amendment 2) would qualify for the November ballot. As directed by the court, this issue will remain on the ballot."

Implications of the November vote

If approved by voters in November, sports betting could become legal in Missouri by the 1st of December, 2025, for individuals who are at least 21. The measure would allow Missouri's casinos and professional sports teams to offer both in-person and mobile sports betting. Additionally, the Missouri Gaming Commission would have the authority to license two additional operators offering mobile sports betting.

Backing the measure are several prominent sports teams, including the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, as well as two soccer teams. These teams have argued that legalizing sports betting would not only provide entertainment options for fans but also generate new revenue streams for the state.

With sports betting already legal in 38 states along with Washington, D.C., Missouri's entry into this arena is seen by many as long overdue, especially given that every state bordering Missouri, except for Oklahoma, has already legalized the practice.