Chiefs Getting Heavily Involved in Missouri Sports Betting Legalization Push

The sports world has become synonymous with online betting throughout the last several years. You can't watch a single broadcast — from the NFL to the MLB — without odds, parlays, and futures markets being mentioned.

If you're able to get in on the action, the betting-related discussion can be entertaining at least. However, if you're living in one of the 12 states where sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings are still illegal, you're either tired of hearing about sports bets or frustrated that you can't get in on the fun.

Unfortunately, Missouri is one of the dozen states that outlaws online sportsbooks. Having said that, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to do their best to help change that.

Mark Donovan: Chiefs Working to Legalize Sports Betting in Missouri

Following Friday's practice, Chiefs president Mark Donovan spoke with reporters about numerous topics, including sportsbooks in Missouri. According to team insider Matt Derrick, Donovan admitted that the Chiefs "will support voter initiative" to legalize online sports betting if it's on the state ballot at the November election.

Donovan added that he's "spent more time in Jefferson City on sports betting than any other issue" and that he was motivated to do so by St. Louis Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., who's also been openly pro-legalization.

"Like the vast majority of Americans, [the Cardinals] support legalized and responsibly regulated sports betting as an exciting new way for fans to engage with their favorite teams and sports. We welcome and encourage the progress being made in Missouri."

- Bill DeWitt Jr., Sept. 2023

It isn't shocking to know that the Chiefs and Royals both want in-state sports gambling legalized. Aside from the entertainment it brings to fans, online sports betting is a near-$11 billion-dollar industry, so the likes of Donovan and DeWitt (rightfully) see a plethora of dollar signs in their eyes.

In May, a coalition composed of Missouri's professional sports teams — Chiefs, Cardinals, Current, Royals, City, and Blues — submitted a petition to the state to add a sports betting initiative to November's ballot. The target for the petition was 180,000 signatures, however, the coalition nearly doubled that with over 340,000.

November is only four months away, so it won't be much longer before Missouri residents know if they can start downloading sportsbook apps.

In the meantime, the Chiefs are darlings among sportsbooks across the country. Not only is DraftKings favoring a ninth straight AFC West title for Kansas City (-230), but it's also favoring the defending champions to pull off the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat (+500).

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