Missouri will join the list of US states offering regulated sports betting next year after an amendment narrowly passed.
The ballot that took place alongside voting for the US presidential election at the start of November received 50.05 per cent support – just enough to seal a victory for its proponents.
The amendment looked set to pass after the majority of voting had taken place although the result could not be confirmed.
However, the Associated Press reported that Missouri election officials were able to rubberstamp the result on Thursday.
The Missouri Gaming Commission, which already oversees 13 casinos in the state, wants to launch sports betting by the summer.
The vertical must be fully set up for operators by December 1 next year, as mandated in the amendment.
“Joining the 38 other states that already allow sports betting will allow us to further engage with our fans, while keeping tens of millions in Missouri for the benefit of our classrooms and communities,” said St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III.
FanDuel and DraftKings jointly pumped over US$41m into the campaign to make sports betting regulated, while Caesars Entertainment was among those campaigning against the ballot.
