Deadline Expires To Seek Sports-Betting Vote Recount In Missouri

The deadline to seek a recount of the Nov. 5 public vote to legalize sports betting in Missouri has passed with no one wanting a recount to challenge the final results, according to a state official.

The deadline to request a vote recount was Thursday, but no person or group had sought a recount by the deadline this week, said JoDonn Chaney, spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. That means there are no more opportunities for a vote recount, he told Gambling.com on Friday.

Unless a court challenge surfaces, no person or group will have the ability to overturn the vote, Chaney said, adding that by Friday he had not heard of any effort to seek a court challenge on the sports-betting vote.

With nearly three million people voting on the Nov. 5 sports betting ballot question, the "yes" votes in favor of sports betting ended up 2,934 votes ahead of the “no” votes, Chaney said.

With approval of the constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting, wagering will begin in person at sportsbooks and on mobile devices such as cellphones no later than Dec. 1, 2025, for people age 21 and over. The next step is for the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue sports-betting operator licenses before anyone can place a legal bet. That process is expected to last several months.

Every state bordering Missouri, except Oklahoma, has legal sports betting.