Retail and online sports betting betting became legal in Missouri on January 1. Missouri voted to legalize sports betting in 2024, becoming the 39th state in the nation to do so. 

The law says sports betting must be operational by December 1. However, it's all but certain betting will begin by the start of the football season, if not sooner. 

Jan Zimmerman, chairman of the Missouri Gaming Commission told the Kansas City Star that she'd “like to hope so" betting will be live when football returns later in the year. She told the paper that legal wagering in the state could begin as soon as mid- to late summer. “With everything that’s involved in putting this together, I hope that the public understands how hard our folks are working to make it happen,” Zimmerman said.

The lag time between legalization and the launch date has varied by state. Anywhere between 7 and 9 months has been the norm in most jurisdictions. For example, the bill that legalized sports betting in North Carolina was signed into law on June 14, 2022. Betting began in the Tar Heel state in time for March Madness in 2024. 

The Missouri ballot measure passed by less than 10,000 votes with 2.9 million votes cast. 

It had the endorsement of the state's MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, and NWSL franchises. They offered it a window to legitimacy. 

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What Sports Betting Will Look Like In Missouri?

In addition to online betting statewide, the state's professional teams will be able to "create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium."

Those teams are the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals (MLB), St. Louis Blues (NHL), St. Louis City SC (MLS), and Kansas City Current (NWSL).

Those same teams will also be able to partner with a "branded online betting platform."

The state's 6 casino companies can operate a retail sportsbook at their casinos and offer an online platform. Two other licenses will be made available to online betting companies that do not partner with either a casino or professional sports team.

Amendment 2 reads in part as follows: 

Allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate licensed sports wagering including online sports betting, gambling boats, professional sports betting districts, and mobile licenses to sports betting operators;

restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21;
allow license fees prescribed by the Commission and a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for education after expenses incurred by the Commission and required funding of the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund; and
allow for the general assembly to enact laws consistent with this amendment?”

The group “Winning for Missouri Education” helped to submit 340,000 signatures by the May deadline. 

Both FanDuel and DraftKings backed the ballot push financially. They spent more than $32 million on Amendment 2. But they ran into a surprising opponent - Caesars. That company spent $14 million to oppose the bill. It owns a retail casino in Missouri and employs 2,000 people there. The group formed by Caesars to stop the amendment opposed the measure because it helps primarily those operators who do not have a stake in Missouri in terms of current employment or investment. 

What Betting Apps Are Legal in Missouri? 

Fans can currently use the fantasy betting features offered by sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, and Underdog Fantasy. However, no sports betting will be allowed until it is launched statewide. Given the number of licenses available, expect DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, Fanatics, and ESPN BET to be eventually offered. 

What Is The Process To Launch Sports Betting In Missouri

Regulators in Missouri will likely follow the template set by several adjacent states that have launched sports betting since it was legalized nationwide by the Supreme Court's PASPA decision. Seven of the eight states that border Missouri have legalized sports betting. And it will be considered again in Oklahoma this year. 

Regulators in Missouri are starting from scratch when it comes to writing the rules and regulations concerning sports betting. Some states have more than 250 separate rules that govern betting. Regulators are being poached from states operating to new states when they agree to launch.

Among the issues covered by regulators include rules concerning events upon which people can wager, security concerning operators and license holders, the application process, and how the money generated from wagering will be directed to the treasury.