MO Amendment 2 pulse: Early voters cite education, tax revenue going to Kansas in backing sports gambling

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Talking to early voters in Clay County, the winds seem to favor a yes vote on Amendment 2. But the reasons to vote for or against legalizing sports gambling in Missouri ran the gamut.

Clay County resident Lucas Waldren was among those early voters who checked yes on Amendment 2, which would legalize sports betting in Missouri and tax gross gaming revenue at 10%.

The money would be earmarked for education, according to the amendment’s text.

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“Education would be the reason why,” Waldren said in explaining his vote. “Our teachers deserve more money, deserve to be paid better, so I’m going to do what I can to help with that.”

Other Clay County voters simply thought it was time for Missouri to capture tax revenue it’s currently losing to neighboring states.

“I voted yes because I want the money to stay within the state of Missouri and not to go over to Kansas,” LaTasha McBride said.

Seven of Missouri’s eight neighboring states already allow sports gambling, including Kansas. Oklahoma is the lone holdout.

Matt Harrison/KSHB

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If Amendment 2 passes, Missouri would become the 39th state to legalize sports betting.

“It just made sense that the money from taxes will go to help schools,” said Clay County resident Ryan Ault. “That’s a good thing, and people are going over the border to do it anyway. You might as well keep that money here in the state.”

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Of course, not all voters were on board with Amendment 2.

“I just don’t think gambling is the way to get revenue for anything,” said Clay County resident JoAnne Thrap. “There’s a lot of negatives that go with gambling that is not what we want.”

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Thrap voted no, but the other non-gamblers — Waldren, McBride and Ault, who said they don’t bet on sports — seemed inclined to support Amendment 2.

“Sports gambling’s not something that I personally care about, so it’s more of the education part of it,” Waldren reiterated.

But if people are going to do it anyway, it might as well benefit Missouri.

“I barely watch sports,” McBride said. “But again, I feel like people were [gambling] illegally anyway in other areas, so why not make it legal all around. Then, you can control it more that way than if you don’t make it legal.”

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Ault agreed: “People are going to do it no matter what. I don’t think you can legislate vice, per se. … If people are going to go to other states, [you] might as well keep that money here that goes back to schools so schools benefit from it.”

A yes vote on Amendment 2 would legalize sports gambling in Missouri, while a no vote would keep things the same.

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KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod.