Missouri Sports Betting Guide: Latest News, Updates, Launch Date

Retail and online sports betting betting became legal in Missouri on January 1, following a successful ballot initiative in 2024. With the vote, Missouri became the 39th state to legalize sports betting.

According to the law, sports betting must be operational by December 1. However, a move by the Secretary of State to prevent the law from being enacted under an emergency statute means it won’t take effect until August 30.

That delay means betting will not be live statewide by the start of the football season.

Regulators have announced they will begin accepting applications for the 14 available online sportsbook licenses—commonly referred to as “skins”—starting on May 15.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals and bet365 have announced a marketing partnership which makes the book an Official Betting Partner of the Redbirds. BetMGM  is likely to team up with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The legalization of sports betting in Missouri came after a campaign led by the state’s professional sports teams. Voters narrowly approved the ballot measure last November, with the measure passing by fewer than 10,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast.

The initiative was endorsed by Missouri’s MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, and NWSL franchises, lending it a strong sense of legitimacy in the eyes of many voters.

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 allowing online betting statewide, Missouri’s new law permits the state’s professional sports teams to establish retail sports betting locations within designated districts near their stadiums.

Eligible teams include 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).

These teams will also be allowed to partner with branded online sports betting platforms.

Missouri’s six casino operators will be permitted to operate retail sportsbooks at their casino properties and offer online betting platforms. Additionally, two 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?

For now, fans in Missouri can only access fantasy sports platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, and Underdog Fantasy. These platforms offer daily fantasy contests, but traditional sports betting will not be allowed until the statewide launch.

Given the number of licenses available and the popularity of major brands, it’s expected that DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, Fanatics, and ESPN BET will eventually operate in Missouri once the market goes live.

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What Is the Process to Launch Sports Betting in Missouri?

Regulators in Missouri are likely to follow the model established by several neighboring states that have legalized sports betting following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 repeal of PASPA.

Currently, seven of the eight states that border Missouri have legalized sports betting, and Oklahoma is expected to consider it again this year.

Because Missouri is new to the sports betting space, regulators are building the framework from scratch. In some states, that framework includes over 250 individual rules governing everything from licensing to compliance. It’s common for experienced regulators from established markets to be recruited by states like Missouri that are just beginning the process.

Key issues being addressed include:

• Which events and sports can be wagered on
• Security standards for operators and license holders
• Application and licensing processes
• How revenue from sports betting will be allocated within the state budget