Gambling On The Ballot: What’s At Stake?

Along with electing state and federal officials on Tuesday, some Americans will also be deciding on a few gambling and casino-related issues.

The issues range from sports betting and new casino licenses to how gaming tax revenue can be used. Here’s a look at a few of the gaming initiatives on the ballot this year.

Arkansas

Voters in the Natural State will be weighing in on two issues related to the state’s casino industry and lottery. Issue 1 would expand the state’s lottery scholarships program to apply to students who choose career and technical schools.

The program has awarded 770,000 scholarships worth $1.4 billion since launching in 2009, with 92 cents of every dollar in lottery sales used to help the state’s students. Supporters hope to see the scholarship program apply to those who don’t choose a traditional college or university.

Issue 2 on the ballot would repeal a casino license in Pope County that many residents opposed and require local elections for future licenses. Supporters argue that the measure would give local residents a say on casino development in their own communities.

Missouri

Voters in the Show Me State will decide on the issue of sports betting. Approval of Amendment 2 would legalize sports betting and set the tax rate for wagering at 10%.

The measure was backed by pro sports teams in the state and region including Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, and St. Louis Cardinals and Blues. All neighboring states (Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kansas, and Nebraska) have already legalized wagering except for Oklahoma.

Amendment 5 will also ask voters whether another casino license should be granted for the Lake of the Ozarks area. This is one of the state’s leading tourist destinations, but the state constitution limits licenses to areas along the Missouri or Mississippi rivers and only 13 licenses in total. Approval would add one more license for this area.

The petition drive for the additional license was initially ruled to have fallen short of the necessary signatures to be included on the ballot, but a judge ruled in September that wasn’t the case and put the issue back up for voters to decide.

Colorado

Proposition JJ allows voters to decide whether the state can use tax revenue from sports betting for water projects. The measure would apply to annual revenue above a $29 million threshold.

That number is now the cap on tax revenue collected from the industry and if not approved, the state will continue to refund any tax proceeds above $29 million to the state’s sports betting operators. Voters approved sports betting in the state in 2019.