Since PASPA was overturned, Missouri has been looking to legalize online sports betting in some capacity. Fast-forward from 2018 to November 2024, and sports fans finally have their wishes coming true.Missouri's Vote to Legalize Sports Betting Passes... Just
Yes. Although online sportsbooks have yet to open their virtual doors officially, sports betting is legal in Missouri. That said, since the passing of Amendment 2, set laws and legislation are still yet to be finalized and confirmed.Missouri's Vote to Legalize Sports Betting Passes... Just
In theory, sports betting could be live by early December – state law dictates that any new amendments can be enforced after 30 days of passing. However, with rule-making and the vetting process taking some time, it could be that we see sports betting officially launch a little later down the line.
After years of unsuccessful attempts, Amendment 2 finally passed on November 5th, 2024. On this occasion, it was backed by several professional sports teams, a committee focused on Missouri’s educational resources, and millions of Missouri-based sports fans.
To help back the bid for sports betting to be legalized in Missouri, established sportsbooks – DraftKings and Fanduel – also played their part. In fact, they presented the ‘Winning for Missouri Education’ committee with over $40 million to aid their campaign. Could these two soon be setting up shop in the Show-Me State?
Although Amendment 2 has passed, it would be fair to suggest that things could not have been much tighter. As touched upon, millions of Missouri residents had their say—2.9 million, to be precise—and the majority was initially found in favor by just over 0.25%. Any budding mathematician will tell you that this is roughly 7,500 deciding voters.
As this figure was unofficial, further changes to the final figure have been noted. A late addition from Christian County saw an extra 9,653 votes added to the mix. From this, a margin of 3,995 votes went against the legalization of sports betting in Missouri. A final tally from around the state also found mixed reviews from voters.
Although a final figure now looks to hover around the 750 mark in favor of Amendment 2, a few areas from within Missouri are still yet to finalize and certify their results. Final state certifications have a deadline of December 10th.
Things are incredibly close. Legally, anything with a margin under the 0.5% mark could be considered for a recount. With 750 votes in favor, Amendment 2 is sitting at just 0.03%. In theory, a full recount is possible. However, from history, it rarely changes the outcome of things, and it does not look likely that a recount will be pushed through.
In the meantime, Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for ‘Winning for Missouri Education’, remains hopeful: “We’re watching the votes come in extremely carefully here, but we feel really good about where we’re at.” He added, “We’re going to win this election when every last vote comes in.”
As you may or may not be aware, educational resources in Missouri will benefit substantially from sports betting tax revenue, alongside the Compulsive Gambling Fund and MGC expenses.
So, there you have it – sports betting is legal in Missouri. However, questions are still up in the air regarding an official launch date and, indeed, whether a recount may be needed first. Before checking out our comparisons of the best online sportsbooks, we suggest sticking around and checking the latest breaking news on Missouri sports betting as it unfolds – we are sure there is still plenty yet to unravel.
