Missouri Teams Push Ballot Measures To Allow Sports Betting

Missouri sports teams want voters to weigh in on whether to legalize sports betting in the state.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports nine ballot proposals on the issue were filed this week by a Jefferson City lawyer.

The St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City soccer club and Kansas City Royals are behind the push. Efforts to pass a law allowing sports betting have failed for years in Missouri's Legislature. So the teams want to take the issue directly to voters.

Money from taxing sports betting would be split between schools and roads under the proposals. Republican Senator Denny Hoskins has proposed several bills to legalize sports betting.

In Missouri, proposals need a certain number of voter signatures to be put on the ballot.

Proponents haven't started collecting signatures yet.