An initiative to legalize sports betting in Missouri took a significant step last week, as Winning for Missouri Education submitted more than 300,000 signatures in an effort to get on the November ballot.

If the signatures are validated, the question of legalized sports betting in Missouri will appear in front of voters in November. Efforts to legalize sports wagering in the legislature have failed in recent years.

Missourians are excited about the possibility of sports betting apps launching in the Show-Me State, according to polling and anecdotal evidence.

“If it does go to the ballot issue, it’s gonna pass,” said Mark Reardon, a University of Missouri alumnus and talk show host with 97.1 FM Talk in St. Louis.

Reardon’s strong belief that Missourians want legalized sports betting has backing from polling sources.

An Emerson College poll conducted in late January surveyed approximately 1,800 registered Missouri voters. Of those surveyed, 62% of them said they would vote in favor of allowing sports betting in Missouri if it were to appear on the November ballot.

A February poll of 900 likely Missouri voters conducted by St. Louis University and YouGov found that 60% of those polled support legalizing betting on professional sports. Only 25% of respondents were opposed to the idea, with the rest of respondents responding that they were “not sure.”

GeoComply shared earlier this year that thousands of Missourians attempted to access betting apps in other states to legally wager on the 2024 Super Bowl. There’s an appetite for legalized sports wagering in Missouri, and professional sports franchises in the state are spearheading the ballot initiative in hopes of boosting fan engagement.

“As seven of our eight bordering states allow sports betting, it’s time that Missouri is allowed to keep that tax revenue for our classrooms and legalize responsible sports betting that benefits our fans and our sports teams,” Jason Thein, the chief operating officer and general counsel for St. Louis CITY SC, said in a recent press release. “St. Louis CITY SC is encouraged to see strong statewide support for this issue, and for Missouri education.”

Reardon says from his regular interactions with Missourians that he senses a frustration about the legislature’s inability to legalize sports betting in recent years. Despite numerous attempts to bring legal sports betting apps to Missouri, lawmakers have never passed legislation.

While people are frustrated with the state’s lack of legal betting options, Reardon doesn’t think the average sports fan keeps up with most of the legislative developments or benchmarks achieved by the ballot campaign.

“I’ll be honest, it’s hard enough for me as a talk show host and someone who follows this stuff to kind of get a handle on all of it,” Reardon said. “The general public has no idea. Here’s where they are: They’re just frustrated and pissed that these guys can’t figure it out. They don’t understand it.”

While legislative failures have irked Missouri sports fans, the ballot initiative is on its way to being included in November. Should that happen, recent polling suggests the people of Missouri will strongly support the effort.

Reardon feels legalized betting options are long overdue in the state.

“It just needs to get fixed,” Reardon said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”