Caesars Donates $4M to Missouri Anti-Sports Betting Group

Caesars Entertainment is providing financial support to a campaign opposing legalized sports betting in Missouri. The Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment campaign has received $4 million in contributions from Caesars through the company’s in-state retail casinos, according to a filing with the Missouri Ethics Committee.

Three of Caesars’ brick-and-mortar casinos, the company’s enterprise business support Missouri anti-sports betting group

Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling has received a financial boost from Caesars through three brick-and-mortar casinos and the company’s enterprise business.

Caesars’ Tropicana St. Louis contributed $1.3 million to the anti-sports betting campaign. Caesars also allocated an additional $1.3 million to the campaign through Isle of Capri Boonville Casino.

Additionally, Harrah’s North Kansas City property donated $1.4 million toward the anti-betting campaign. Then Caesars’ Enterprise Services business contributed $156,202 as well.

Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling launched earlier this month to help sway Missouri voters. Residents will ultimately decide the fate of regulated sports wagering during November’s election. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft certified the petition last month for the ballot measure.

Amendment 2 will be voted on by residents in November

Amendment 2 would set the sports betting tax rate at 10% and allow Missouri’s professional sports franchises along with the state’s 13 casinos to operate retail and online sports betting. Two online betting platforms would be eligible to receive a license.

Of course, Caesars’ stance on the issue in the Show-Me State differs from its rivals FanDuel and DraftKings. Both sportsbooks helped Winning for Missouri Education raise more than $10 million.

Winning for Missouri Education is leading the effort to bring sports betting to the Cave State. It secured more than 340,000 signatures in favor of a vote on sports betting. Caesars is the only operator to publicly take a stance against sports betting in Missouri.

Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling was launched after Circuit Court of Cole County Judge Daniel Green ruled in favor of keeping sports betting on November’s ballot. Green made his ruling after a lawsuit was filed by two plaintiffs alleging that Winning for Missouri Education failed to garner adequate support.