What ballot summary did Missouri approve for Andrew Prewitt's Osage River gambling petition 2026-146?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway approved the legal content and form of the proposed ballot summary for Andrew Prewitt's initiative petition 2026-146, version 2 of an Article III amendment.

The approved summary said the proposal would allow lotteries, gift enterprises, and games of chance at one legally defined Osage River location. It required Miller County and City of Lake Ozark approval before a license could issue, permitted the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional license for a boat, floating facility, or nonfloating facility at the site, and required compliance with existing Missouri gaming laws.

The Attorney General's review under § 116.334, RSMo was limited to legal content and form and did not endorse the proposal.

What this means for you

Miller County and Lake Ozark officials

The approved summary required local approval from both Miller County and the City of Lake Ozark before any license could be issued.

Gaming regulators and researchers

The summary described one additional license covering a boat, floating facility, or nonfloating facility at the specified site.

Initiative petition proponents

The proposed summary passed legal-content and form review. The opinion did not take a position on the petition's objectives.

Common questions

Q: What activities did the summary say would be allowed?
A: Lotteries, gift enterprises, and games of chance at one legally defined Osage River location.

Q: What local approvals would be required?
A: Approval from both Miller County and the City of Lake Ozark before a license could be issued.

Q: What existing obligations would still apply?
A: Missouri gaming-law requirements, including tax, fee, and adjusted-gross-receipts obligations transferred to the state and local community.

Background and statutory framework

The Secretary of State requested review on December 23, 2025. The proposed summary concerned Andrew Prewitt's petition 2026-146, version 2, to amend Article III of the Missouri Constitution.

The Attorney General issued Opinion 348-2025 on December 30, 2025 and approved the summary's legal content and form under § 116.334, RSMo.

Citations and references

• § 116.334, RSMo

Source

• Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
• Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/348-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
CATHERINE L. HANAWAY

December 30, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 348-2025

The Honorable Denny Hoskins, CPA
Missouri Secretary of State
James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center
600 West Main Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Secretary Hoskins:

This opinion letter responds to your request dated December 23, 2025, for our review under § 116.334, RSMo, of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Andrew Prewitt (2026-146) regarding a proposed amendment to amend Article III, version 2, of the Missouri Constitution. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• allow for lotteries, gift enterprises, and games of chance on the Osage River at a single, legally defined location;

• require local approval from both Miller County and the City of Lake Ozark before any license may be issued;

• permit the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling license for a boat, floating facility, or nonfloating facility at that site; and

• require all operations to comply with all existing Missouri gaming laws, including tax, fee, and adjusted gross receipts obligations which will be transferred to the state of Missouri and the local community?

Pursuant to § 116.334, RSMo, we approve the legal content and form of the proposed statement. Because our review of the statement is mandated by statute, no action that we take with respect to such review should be construed as an endorsement of the petition, nor as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents.

Very truly yours,

CATHERINE L. HANAWAY
Attorney General

OP-2025-366

Supreme Court Building, 207 W. High Street, P.O. Box 899, Jefferson City, MO 65102 | Phone: (573) 751-3321 | www.ago.mo.gov