An effort to legalize sports betting in Missouri took a significant step forward Tuesday. The Missouri Secretary of State approved an initiative petition to put the question of legalizing sports betting on the November ballot.

The initiative, Winning for Missouri Education, was spearheaded by the state’s professional sports franchises. The teams opted for this route after several years of the state legislature failing to successfully pass bills to legalize sports wagering.

“Missouri is now just one step away from joining most other states in legalizing sports betting and being able to provide millions of dollars to Missouri classrooms,” Bill DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals, said in a press release. “On behalf of all six of Missouri’s professional sports teams, I would like to thank everyone who signed a petition to get this on the ballot. A vote for Amendment 2 in November is the right thing to do for both Missouri public schools and our favorite sports teams.” 

If approved, the effort will tax sports betting at 10%, with tax revenue benefiting education initiatives in the state. It’s likely several major sports betting apps, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, would be among the operators to enter Missouri’s sports betting market.

Several polls have suggested differing levels of support for the ballot initiative, with some suggesting there’s strong support for legal sports betting in Missouri. Others show different data, implying the ballot initiative could very well fail. It’s hard to tell exactly how voters feel about the prospect of legal sports betting, but they’ll face the question in November.

The ballot initiative needs a majority vote to be approved.

The fair ballot language related to sports betting legalization reads:

“A ‘yes’ vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to permit licensed sports wagering regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission and restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21. The amendment includes a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for educational institutions in Missouri. A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding licensed regulated sports wagering. If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.”

Several of Missouri’s neighboring states, including Arkansas, Kansas, and Illinois, allow for legal online sports wagering. Kansas and Illinois are both home to major sports betting brands, while Arkansas has a more unique system with “local” operators.