Missouri Sports Betting Amendment Officially Survives Recount

Michael Savio
By: Michael Savio
12/11/2024
Sports Betting
Photo by Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via wikimedia commons
Photo by Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via wikimedia commons

Key Takeaways

  • Amendment 2 was passed by a margin of less than 1%
  • Opponents of the amendment are not planning on requesting another recount
  • The state hopes to have the market up and running this summer

Sports betting is officially coming to the Show-Me State.

The Missouri Board of State Canvassers has formally certified the results of Amendment 2 from November’s election. The amendment legalized sports betting in the state, a hotly contested topic leading up to the elections. The bill passed by less than 1% of the vote, triggering the need for a recount.

With the vote now certified, the sports betting industry is projected to be up and running in Missouri by the end of the summer of 2025.

No Opposition Expected

The Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment coalition has been the most prominent opponent of Amendment 2. The group was formed after a successful ballot initiative placed Amendment 2 on the November election ballot. It claimed that the sports betting market that the bill would create would be bad for the state.

While they spent millions to convince voters to reject the measure, the group has shared that they do not plan to pursue a recount request. Given that the state just completed an automatic count, there is little reason to believe another would change that.

Caesars, who made significant donations to support the coalition.

MGC Aims for Summer Launch

The vote's certification means the Missouri Gaming Commission can begin work on launching the state’s new sports betting industry. The amendment sets a deadline of December 1, 2025, for sports betting to go live, but the MGC hopes to launch it this summer. 

The state will need to do a lot between now and then, but it will be motivated to have the industry up and running before the end of August. That is because the NFL and college football seasons generate more bets than any other sport or league.

Will Missouri Reach Tax Revenue Goals?

Amendment 2 stirred up controversy over how it addressed tax revenue from sports betting. While projected revenue numbers were high, the amendment's language would open a loophole for sportsbook operators to avoid paying taxes to the state.

According to opponents of the bill, sportsbooks in Missouri would be able to make write-offs that could result in $0 being owed to the state. With the market moving forward, we will soon determine if those concerns were justified. If they are, it could lead to a dangerous scenario where Missouri accepts all the risks of legal sports betting without any financial benefits.

Michael Savio covers the US online casino industry, giving readers insights and information they won’t find anywhere else. He has followed the retail industry since his time living in Las Vegas and has continued to do so as the online industry has taken off. Michael covers everything from online casino reviews to industry news, making him one of the most trusted insiders in the business. Check out Michael’s latest articles at casinos.com to see what he has to offer!