The campaign opposing a sports betting constitutional amendment on Missouri’s November ballot canceled more than $1 million in television ads Thursday just as the group pushing the proposal launched new ads featuring former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Ozzie Smith.
The Independent’s tracking of broadcaster reports to the Federal Communications Commission show that Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment aired or reserved almost $4 million worth of television ads opposing Amendment 2.
Thursday’s cancellation took down $1.2 million of those ads, some of which had been purchased weeks ago.
The ads are being pulled so the campaign can shift to more direct contacts, said Brooke Foster, a spokeswoman for Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.
