Examining Amendment 2: What WashU students think about legalizing sports gambling in Missouri

| Staff Writer

This November, Missouri residents, including many WashU students, will cast their ballots in the general election. You may have seen advertisements lately for Amendment 2, a ballot initiative to legalize sports gambling statewide for individuals who are at least 21 years of age. Currently, Missouri is one of 12 states that haven’t legalized sports gambling.

In support of the measure, advertisements claim that taxes generated from sports betting companies will be used to help fund Missouri public education systems. Winning for Missouri Education, an organization running ads in support of Amendment 2, has stated that passing the Amendment could provide over $100 million in revenue for schools. Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for the organization, said in a statement that “[Sports betting] is going to be around for a long time; the fact that our education system now has this new line of revenue is really, really important.”

Others are not so sure. No on 2, an organization created to oppose the passing of this legislation, outlined a number of problems it found with the Amendment. Namely, there is no guarantee that the revenue generated from taxes related to sports gambling would be used for public education. 

While the official ballot language states there will be “a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for educational institutions in Missouri,” the amount of revenue actually generated is up in the air. The state government estimates that annual tax revenue can span anywhere from as high as $28.9 million to $0 annually. The Missouri Department of Revenue estimates that gambling companies would pay no gaming taxes because of the deductions they could claim for the cost of free play and promotional credits, pointing towards the revenue generated being closer to $0 than $28.9 million.

This gap in revenue has led some to be skeptical.

“I feel like that gap doesn’t instill a ton of confidence in the government’s plan,” WashU sophomore David Wang said. “I just don’t like gambling, in general.”

Others are still deciding on how they will be voting in just a few weeks.

“I don’t want my brother to lose money gambling,” junior Oliver Tramel said. “Though I do think it would be good for the economy.” Tramel is still undecided on how he will vote.

Recently, the Missouri AFL-CIO, a federation that represents unions of teachers and casino workers, endorsed voting against the amendment. Their decision echoes concerns that passing the Amendment would not lead to any improvements in the public education system. 

While research on the effects of sports betting in the United States is still inconclusive due to the relatively recent legalization of sports betting, early indicators show that gambling addictions are on the rise. The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, for example, observed a 91% rise in calls in 2022, which was the first year that Connecticut legalized sports gambling. The organization has implicated the ease of betting on mobile devices as a possible explanation. 

Some students—like senior Alex Whalen, who is from Michigan, where sports betting is legal—offer a unique perspective. While Whalen has embraced sports betting back home, Missouri’s current restrictions prevent him from continuing that practice at school. This difference gives him a nuanced outlook on the issue.

“I decided that sports betting would be a fun thing to pick up, just because I love watching sports, and I feel like it just puts more excitement into the game,” Whalen said. “I think that it would have a good effect on the sports culture …But I don’t think, necessarily, [that] having sports gambling would increase addiction”

Not all students are in agreement about the dangers of addiction.

“I think the ease of access makes [gambling] more dangerous, especially to young people,” Wang said.

Whether or not to vote yes on the Amendment is a personal decision for each voter. Though the benefits of legalizing sports gambling are not likely as clear-cut as some advertisements would like you to believe, there is an opportunity for more tax revenue to be generated for Missouri public schools. It remains to be seen what the voters of Missouri will select in this year’s election, and their choice could have ramifications on the local sports scene for years to come.

Senior Sports Editor Elias Kokinos contributed reporting to this article.

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