Benefit of sports betting on Missouri schools may be a roll of the dice

By Jacob Meikel

Missouri schools could hit the jackpot if voters legalize sports betting at the polls on Nov. 5, but some aren’t betting the farm just yet on how much money they could actually see.

Missouri remains one of a dozen states where gambling on sports isn’t legal, with most of its neighbors, including Kansas, allowing it.

Proponents of the measure known as Amendment 2 are wagering on a benefit to education statewide to move the needle for voters. The state would allocate 10% of the revenue raised to Missouri schools.

Winning for Missouri Education, the organization that spearheaded the petition to get Amendment 2 on the ballot, estimates the tax revenue generated from legal sports wagering could mean tens of millions of dollars for schools annually in Missouri, potentially up to $100 million in the next five years.

However, some believe the language contained in the amendment is murky. While there could be money coming to schools, there aren’t any promises on the amount.

Officials in the St. Joseph School District plan to play it safe as they can’t be certain how much money they’ll actually cash in on if the measure is approved by voters.

“Yes, there could be money coming to schools. We’re not promised that,” said Shannon Nolte, director of non-academic services for the district. “I do think that there is some of that revenue that would end up getting to schools. What that amount is and what that money is is just such an unknown.”

As it reads in the proposed amendment, 10% of the tax revenue generated from sports wagering would go toward education in Missouri. But not knowing what amount will reach local schools means many districts, including the one in St. Joseph, aren’t making plans for how to spend their windfall.

“It’s hard for us to then budget accordingly because especially if you’re going to try to pay staff, you want to know that that’s a year-to-year revenue that you can expect,” Nolte said.

Before sports wagering was put in the hands of voters, several measures to legalize it were put forward to legislators. None ever was able to gain enough traction for passage.

“It’s the way the system is made. It’s supposed to be hard for bills to get passed, and there’s a reason for that,” said State Rep. Dean Van Schoiack R-Savannah. “And so we don’t pass a whole bunch of stuff that’s not good for the people.”

Van Schoiack believes sports wagering should be promoted as a simple freedom Missourians should have. He knows the subject well and voted to pass a sports wagering bill in the Missouri House on multiple occasions, only for it to fall short in the Senate.

But like Nolte, Van Schoiack isn’t banking on the benefit legalization will have on school coffers.

“I wish it hadn’t been promoted so much so that it’s going to add funds to the schools,” he said. “The funds will go to the schools, but that may even be taken out on the other end because our formula for schools is made that way.”

Some of the money generated from sports wagering if Amendment 2 passes, also will go towards the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund, which includes research for compulsive gambling, treatment plans and other services related to compulsive gambling.

If passed, Missourians could be betting on sports within the state no later than Dec. 1 of next year.