Caesars contributed $4m to the Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment PAC. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

The campaign against a Missouri amendment to legalize sports betting has received a $4m donation from Caesars Entertainment.

A political action committee (PAC), Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment (MADOGA), was formed last week in an attempt to convince Missourians to vote against the proposals when they go to the polls on November 5.

Caesars’ donation to the group means that it is the first casino company to declare a position on the proposal, which has been backed by a PAC called the Sports Betting Alliance, consisting of BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel. Contributions from DraftKings and FanDuel alone have totaled $9.525m.

Missouri is one of 12 remaining states without some form of legalized sports betting; the issue has faced political deadlock for the past five years. Three years ago, an alliance of prospective operators and sports teams formed a campaign, but the new amendment is more restrictive, limiting each operator to one sports betting skin, even if they own multiple properties in the state.

polls have been extremely mixed on the issue

The proposal was also the subject of a lawsuit which argued that it should not have been considered for a public vote, but after it emerged victorious, Missourians will now be able to have their say. Polls have been extremely mixed on the issue, with multiple studies released showing public support both for an against legalization.