Measure Would Enrich Online, Out-of-State Gambling Corporations While Creating Special Loopholes That Would Allow Them to Pay Zero Dollars to Missouri
St. Louis, MO – September 10, 2024 – Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment today launched their campaign to oppose Amendment 2 – the November 2024 Constitutional Amendment that would legalize online sports gambling in Missouri.
Written by two out-of-state online gambling corporations, the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment would enshrine special loopholes into our State Constitution that would allow them to avoid paying tax revenues to the State.
“Amendment 2 is a bad deal for Missouri. This deceptive measure was written by and for the financial benefit of its out-of-state corporate sponsors and funders,” said Brooke Foster, a spokesperson for Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.
These out-of-state gambling corporations are deceptively promoting their measure as a funding mechanism for education, even going so far as to run a television ad that claims millions of dollars are “guaranteed” to go to education. But Amendment 2 provides no guarantee that any funds will actually be provided to the State. Look no further than the State’s official fiscal analysis prepared by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office. In that analysis, the Missouri Department of Revenue determined that because gambling operators would be permitted to deduct promotional credits and free play (to encourage gambling) as well as federal taxes, they could pay “zero gaming taxes for sports wagering.”
A similar law was enacted right across the border in Kansas, which legalized sports betting in 2022. In February 2023, the same month that the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl, more than $194 million was wagered on sports in Kansas. But, the state only received about $1,000 in tax revenue because of tax deductions. These same out-of-state online gambling corporations want Missourians to pass a similarly bad deal.
Additionally, voters don’t even really know what they’re voting on. Amendment 2 establishes no regulatory framework for online sports gambling or guidelines for such a framework.
“We are building a broad coalition and are prepared to wage a vigorous campaign to educate voters across the State and ensure the measure is defeated,” added campaign spokesperson Foster.
Learn more about Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment:
NoAmendment2.com