MLB, Cardinals Support Proposed Missouri Gambling Legislation

Under legislation debated in a Missouri state Senate committee Wednesday, reps of the Cardinals and MLB “expressed support for a proposal" that would give them a 1% slice of all bets if the state legalized gambling, according to Kurt Erickson of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. MLB attorney Bryan Seeley said that the money “would help the league ensure the ‘integrity’ of the game.” He added that the teams “should receive a piece of the profits since they are offering up the entertainment.” Missouri is “among more than a dozen states considering legalizing pro sports betting” amid a lawsuit pending before the U.S. Supreme Court (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/1). In Boston, Jordan Graham notes companies with local ties are “expected to push for legal sports betting in Massachusetts if the Supreme Court finds a betting ban unconstitutional.” However, research from the state’s Gaming Commission shows that revenue to the state is “not expected to be a game changer” (BOSTONHERALD.com, 3/2).