Missouri Sports Betting | Latest on Missouri Sportsbooks 2024
Missouri sports betting is coming by the end of 2025 after voters passed an amendment to legalize retail and online sports wagering. We cover the latest updates on Missouri sportsbooks ahead of their launch.
Offers from Missouri Betting Sites You Can Claim Today
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Established 2024Players must be 18+ years of age or older (19+ AL/NE, 21+ AZ) and physically located in a jurisdiction in which DraftKings Pick6 operates (AL/AK/AR/AZ/CA/CT/DC/DE/GA/IL/IN/MA/MN/MO/NC/NE/NH/NM/ND/OK/RI/SC/SD/TN/TX/UT/VA/VT/WI/WV). - 2
Established 2009Must be 18+ to participate. T&C Apply. Play Responsibly. New users only. The bonus will be added to your account. Bonus funds must be used for play and are not available for withdrawal. Bonus will expire 14 days from issue and any unused bonus may be removed from your account. Massachusetts bettors must be 21+ and present to place wagers in the state. Gambling problem in Massachusetts? Play it smart from the start! GamesenseMA.com or Call 1-800-327-5050 to speak with a trained specialist free and confidentially 24/7. Full Terms apply - 3
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Void in Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana or Nevada
Missouri Sports Betting Summary: Latest Updates
| Is MO Sports Betting Legal? | Legal, but not live |
| Latest Update | Votes certified in Missouri |
| Expected Launch Date | Before Dec. 1, 2025 |
| Expected MO Sportsbooks | FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, bet365, Bally Bet |
| MO Population | 6.15M |
After voters passed Constitutional Amendment 2, online sportsbooks and retail betting in Missouri will go live no later than Dec. 1, 2025. The Sports Betting Initiative amendment was on Missouri's November 5, 2024, ballot after hundreds of thousands of petitioners lobbied to add it.
Until now, only social casinos and daily fantasy gaming had been allowed in Missouri. Bettors who wanted to place a wager would have to travel to neighboring Kansas, Illinois, or Iowa.
State of Missouri Sports Betting
Missouri sports betting was passed on Nov. 5, 2024, when voters approved Amendment 2. Results were officially certified on Dec. 5.
Winning for Missouri Education, the political action committee formed to support passing Amendment 2, raised a record-setting $43M. Almost all of it came from DraftKings and FanDuel. A smaller portion, about $2M, came from Missouri's professional sports teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, and the Kansas City Current and St. Louis City soccer teams.
Missouri Sports Betting Legislation: Amendment 2
The state constitution of Missouri previously only made provisions for pari-mutuel horse racing betting. Amendment 2 was introduced to change the constitution to allow online and retail sports betting.
The amendment directs the Missouri Gaming Commission to oversee sports betting in the state and requires it to go live by Dec. 1, 2025, at the latest. The amendment sets the tax rate on sports betting operators at 10%, reportedly funding public education.
The amendment faced some brief legal challenges, which alleged that the signatures were not collected constitutionally. Proposed petitions must receive signatures from 8% of legal voters in six congressional districts to make the ballot in Missouri. The Cole County Circuit Court lawsuit argued that the proposal didn’t use newly redrawn districts following the 2020 U.S. Census, so it wouldn’t have met the required number of signatures.
However, that lawsuit was dismissed within a few weeks, and the proposal was added to the ballot.
Missouri Sports Betting Licenses
Under Amendment 2, 14 sports betting licenses would be allowed.
Six pro sports teams in Missouri would have the chance to partner with a mobile betting provider. Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment, Bally's, Boyd Gaming, and Century Casinos would be expected to get one skin per casino they operate in MO.
Two "untethered" licenses would also be available.
The Missouri Gaming Commission will formalize licensing requirements and grant licenses through an application process.
Who Supported Missouri Sports Betting Initiative?
- Winning for Missouri Education: Petitioned the Secretary of State with over 300K signatures in support of sports betting & raised over $43M to fund the effort
- Missouri’s pro sports teams: Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, Sporting KC, St. Louis City FC, & the St. Louis Blues
- FanDuel & DraftKings: Contributed over $40M to Winning for Missouri Education
- State Senate leaders: Amendment 2 earned bipartisan support
- Major Missouri news outlets: Endorsed by the Kansas City Star and St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment: Group founded to oppose Amendment 2's legalization
- Caesars Entertainment: Donated around $4M to Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment
- St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee: Supported passing Amendment 5 instead
Latest Missouri Sports Betting News & Updates
- Dec. 13, 2024: The deadline for any group to request a recount of Missouri's election results passes.
- Dec. 5, 2024: Missouri's Board of State Canvassers certify the election results. The final tally is 2,934 more "yes" votes than those for "no." A Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment spokesperson says it does not plan to request a recount.
- Nov. 26, 2024: Election officials tell Gambling.com that the initial "yes" results are expected to hold.
- Nov. 25, 2024: Rush Street CEO Richard Schwartz says the company is preparing for Missouri's sports betting launch. Rush Street Interactive is the parent company of BetRivers.
- Nov. 18, 2024: Amendment 2's margin of victory narrows as additional votes are processed and certified, putting the election in the range of a possible recount.
- Nov. 8, 2024: In total, Winning for Missouri Education collects $43.05M in contributions, per the Missouri Ethics Commission, which sets a record for campaign fundraising. FanDuel and DraftKings contribute $20.525M each. Missouri's six pro sports teams contribute just under $2M.
- Nov. 5, 2024: Amendment 2 passes with 50.12% of the vote in favor. Amendment 5, which would have authorized a new casino in the Lake of the Ozarks, failed, with 52.5% opposing the measure.
- Nov. 4, 2024: Chiefs president Mark Donovan, Royals president of business ops Brooks Sherman, and Sporting KC president Raven Jemison, backed by Winning for Missouri Education, take out a full-page ad in the Kansas City Star urging voters to pass Amendment 2.
- Oct. 29, 2024: The St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee announces its opposition to Amendment 2, instead backing Amendment 5, which would add a new Missouri casino license.
- Oct. 24, 2024: Winning for Missouri Education announces bipartisan support in the state senate.
- Oct. 10, 2024: The Kansas City Star endorses Amendment 2: "Missourians can and will bet on sports ... We think the opportunity should be available here, and we recommend yes on Constitutional Amendment 2.”
- Sept. 25, 2024: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch endorses Amendment 2: "Continuing to outlaw sports betting here is nothing other than a declaration that Missouri refuses to regulate and tax an activity that will continue happening regardless of what state law says."
- Sept. 6, 2024: The lawsuit is dismissed.
- Aug. 23, 2024: A lawsuit is filed to block Missouri’s sports betting initiative from the November ballot, alleging that the petition was unconstitutional.
- Aug. 13, 2024: Missouri declares the sports betting initiative has sufficient signatures to appear on the Nov. 2024 ballot.
- May 5, 2024: This is the deadline for presenting the Missouri Secretary of State with at least 180,000 signatures supporting the initiative.
- April 17, 2024: Winning for Missouri Education accumulates over 340,000 signatures to add Amendment 2 to this year’s ballot.
- Jan. 4, 2024: Organizers file paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission to form the Winning for Missouri Education PAC.
- Feb. 27, 2023: A Missouri committee passed HB 556, a bill to legalize sports betting. The committee did not pass a sports betting bill that included VGTs, which quickly became controversial, with VGT supporters making hay.
- Dec. 7, 2022: Sen. Denny Hoskins pre-filed SB1, which would allow the State Lottery Commission to implement a system of video lottery game terminals and to issue licenses to video lottery game manufacturers, distributors, operators, handlers, and retailers. Under SB1, sports betting would be authorized on excursion gambling boats and online. Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer pre-filed SB30 to authorize mobile and retail sports betting.
- Nov. 8, 2022: Representative Billy Schwarze makes a case for legalized sports betting in 2022. Three bills are pre-filed for the 2022 legislative session. Other lawmakers have voiced their support as well.
- Jan. 14, 2021: SB 18 is introduced, followed by SB 256 and SB 218 on February 2. The respective measures have different details, and none of them move forward.
- March 4, 2020: Sports betting legalization measure Senate Bill 567 is considered by the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee. It fails, and other efforts meet the same fate.
- Aug. 28, 2028: Missouri State Representative Dean Plocher introduces House Bill 2535, which would legalize sports betting. It was one of three different sports gaming bills that did not advance.
- May 14, 2018: By a 6-3 vote, the United States Supreme Court rules that the PASPA statute that makes sports betting illegal on the federal level is unconstitutional. Any state that wants to legalize the activity is free to do so.
Where and When Can I Bet on Sports in Missouri?
You can bet on sports in Missouri no later than Dec. 1, 2025. That is the deadline set by Amendment 2.
However, Missouri sports betting insiders predict it will likely launch by the summer of 2025.
It remains to be seen where you'll be allowed to bet. The Missouri Gaming Commission has not announced an application process or a list of applicants. We expect FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, bet365, and Bally Bet to apply for licenses due to their pre-existing relationships in Missouri, which we'll cover below.
Comparing Missouri Sports Betting to Other States
The sports wagering legislation introduced is essentially the same as that in surrounding states. For revenue data, you can look at these legal betting states as proxies.
In 2020, people bet about $2 billion in Illinois, resulting in $57 million in tax revenue for the fiscal year. Missouri has half the population, and the tax structure would not be identical, but the potential revenue is considerable.
Let's have a look at what's happening in similar states:
- Kentucky: Launched online and in retail KY sportsbooks in Sept. 2023 and is regulated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission
- Iowa: Launched sports betting in 2019, regulated by the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission. Bettors are no longer required to register in person for Iowa sportsbooks.
- Illinois: Launched sports betting in 2020, regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board. Bettors are no longer required to register in person for Illinois sportsbooks.
- Tennessee: Launched sports betting in November 2020. There are no brick-and-mortar retail Tennessee sportsbooks.
- Arkansas: Online Arkansas sports betting launched in 2022, four years after retail sportsbooks opened. The Arkansas Racing Commission oversees betting.
- Kansas: Launched Kansas sports betting on Sept. 1, 2022, overseen by the Kansas Racing & Gaming Commission
- Nebraska: Only retail sports betting is allowed in Nebraska.
What Sportsbooks Could be Legal in Missouri?
Because of existing relationships, we can project the operators with presences in Missouri. At present, you can legally wager at over a dozen licensed casinos. Some companies that own casinos in Missouri also own sports betting platforms.
As soon as legal online sports betting is launched, you will be able to place bets through mobile sports betting apps. All operators offer them for both Android and iOS operating systems.
FanDuel
Why FanDuel could be coming to Missouri: FanDuel contributed millions of dollars to the Winning for Missouri Education’s political action committee to get sports betting on 2024’s ballot. It stands to reason that FanDuel would be eager to apply for a sports betting license when the time comes.
Given its familiarity and reputation in other states, FanDuel Missouri will likely be able to negotiate a deal with one of the casinos that will receive sports betting licenses.
DraftKings
Why DraftKings could be coming to Missouri: DraftKings also contributed millions to the Winning for Missouri Education’s PAC in 2024. Expect DraftKings Missouri to launch, too.
DraftKings has enjoyed the same advantage that has helped FanDuel capture a significant market share. The sports betting site can be accessed from the daily fantasy sports side and vice versa. It is a strong product that will be familiar to DFS users.
BetMGM
Why BetMGM could be coming to Missouri: BetMGM Missouri essentially already has market access, thanks to its relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs. BetMGM is the Kansas City Chiefs' official sports betting partner. The team has been vocal in supporting legalized sports betting in Missouri. Team president Mark Donovan signed a full-page ad in the Kansas City Star urging voters to approve the ballot initiative.
MGM Resorts International is a heavy hitter in the hospitality industry and will probably be awarded a license.
Caesars
Why Caesars could be coming to Missouri: Caesars Entertainment owns several casinos in Missouri already, including Isle of Capri Boonville Casino and Horseshoe St. Louis. It would make sense for Caesars Sportsbook Missouri to launch an online sportsbook here. It remains to be seen what kind of impact Caesars' support for the Winning for Missouri education’s opposition campaign will have.
The Caesars brand is synonymous with upscale luxury, and the online sportsbook continues that theme, consistently offering one of the highest sign-up bonuses in the business.
ESPN BET
Why ESPN BET could be coming to Missouri: PENN Entertainment already owns several casinos in Missouri, including Hollywood Casino & Hotel St. Louis and River City Casino & Hotel. ESPN BET has recently started increasing its retail footprint, and ESPN BET Missouri's expansion would continue that trend.
bet365
Why bet365 could be coming to Missouri: bet365 has a sports betting partnership with Century Casinos, which already has two casinos in Missouri. This partnership has already granted them market access in Colorado. Those include Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau and Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville. This partnership has already granted them market access in Colorado.
Brick-and-mortar casinos in Missouri are expected to be awarded sports betting licenses, which would grant bet365 Missouri de facto market access. We could even see bet365 expand into U.S. retail sportsbook spaces in these casinos in the future.
Bally Bet
Why Bally Bet could be coming to Missouri: Bally Bet is the online sportsbook arm of the Bally's Corporation, which operates the Bally's Kansas City Casino. Brick-and-mortar casinos are expected to be awarded licenses to partner with online sports betting licenses, which could give Bally Bet de facto market access.
Bally Bet already operates in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.
BetRivers
Why BetRivers could be coming to Missouri: Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz hinted at it. While speaking at the fourth annual Needham Consumer Tech and Ecommerce Conference, Schwartz said the company, which owns the BetRivers Sportsbook product, is preparing for the launch of Missouri sports betting.
It's just a small indication, but BetRivers already has a strong betting presence in several other Midwest states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and Illinois.
Missouri Sportsbooks Features to Look for
Bonuses & Promotions
Pre-launch offers usually revolve around the sign-up bonus offered after sites go live. Missouri sportsbooks will offer bonus bets, deposit match welcome bonuses, and other introductory sports betting bonuses. Sites often advertise special events like the Super Bowl and March Madness to hype up bettors.
Many sites have loyalty programs that allow you to generate points or credits based on the play volume. You can move up the tier ladder and earn better rewards if you wager consistently on a particular site.
Convenient Online Payment Methods
All these operators accept credit cards, so state-of-the-art encryption methods are utilized. You can rest assured that your sensitive information will be safe and secure at licensed sportsbooks.
User Experience
We have given you a rundown of the top Missouri sportsbooks that will likely be up and running when online gambling in Missouri is legal. These companies with unlimited resources have highly competent people designing and maintaining their web presence.
All the sites are intuitive and user-friendly, so you will immediately understand how to make your bets. The aesthetics are a matter of taste, but they all have their appeal in one way or another. You will find that the user experience is quite positive with these betting apps and websites.
Competitive Odds & Betting Markets
There is more than one reason to open multiple sports betting accounts. The odds offered at each operator are not the same for every market. When you have several accounts, you can shop around for the best odds for the bet you want to make at any given time.
It’s a win-win situation because you get the sign-up bonuses and learn about new promo offers. Over a large sample size, if you always get favorable odds, it will make a difference in your bottom line.
Helpful Customer Support
Customer service is another matter. The quality of the assistance you receive will vary, and the individual agent you communicate with is part of the equation.
Proper Licensing
These are very profitable, publicly traded companies, so you can expect to be treated fairly at all the licensed sportsbooks. You no longer have to roll the dice with sketchy offshore sportsbooks that operate in a gray area with no regulatory oversight.
How to Use Missouri Sportsbooks
Signing up with and using Missouri sportsbooks will be easy. I'll explain what to expect during the sign-up process and betting markets to explore.
How to Sign Up with Missouri Sportsbooks
Missouri sports betting sites will use geolocation software to pinpoint your location when you sign up, and you must be in the state at the time.
After successfully opening the account, you must still be in the state when you make wagers.
Pre-registration should be offered for Missouri sports betting sites. As we have touched upon, we will monitor the situation and pass along the online sportsbook promo codes when pre-registration becomes available.
Popular Missouri Sports Betting Markets to Expect
These are the types of bets that will be available to Missouri residents:
- Moneyline and run line bets
- Point Spreads and puckline bets
- Totals
- Parlays
- Futures
- Prop Bets
- Teasers
- Live Betting
Missouri Sports to Bet on
Football
- NFL Teams: Kansas City Chiefs
- Prominent College Football Teams: Mizzou, Missouri State
Following the national trend, NFL and college football will undoubtedly be Missouri's most significant betting markets. Bettors will be able to wager on the three-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Missouri for the first time. You can expect the best NFL betting sites to flock to Missouri once the market is live.
Super Bowl betting is unique because you can make proposition bets unrelated to the game on the field. Can you guess the color of the Gatorade that will be poured on the head of the winning coach, for example?
It remains to be seen what Missouri’s college sports betting regulations will be like. Before using college football betting sites, keep tabs on the latest updates.
Baseball
MLB Teams: Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals
Missouri has two MLB teams with fervent fanbases: the Royals and the Cardinals. As such, you’ll see the best MLB betting sites launch in the Show Me State. Some may even have special seasonal MLB promotions or partnerships within their stadiums.
Soccer
- MLS Teams: Sporting KC, St. Louis City FC
- NWSL Teams: Kansas City Current
Though the U.S. is not typically known for a love of soccer, Missouri might be a rare exception, with three professional teams calling the state home. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is a part owner of Sporting KC and the Kansas City Current (his wife, Brittany, is also a part owner of the latter).
You should explore the best soccer betting sites once the market goes live.
Hockey
NHL Teams: St. Louis Blues
Missouri fans love their hockey—and they love the Blues. In 2019, St. Louis won its first and only Stanley Cup.
Expect NHL betting sites to be particularly popular in Missouri.
Legal Forms of Betting in Missouri
DFS
On June 10, 2016, then-Governor Jay Nixon signed House Bill 1941 to legalize DFS sites.
This is a list of the operators that the Missouri Gaming Commission has licensed: PrizePicks, DraftKings, FanDuel, FastDraft, Fantasy Football Players Championship, OwnersBox, RealTime Fantasy Sports, CDM Sports, Underdog Sports, Yahoo Fantasy Sports, Fanball, StatHero.
Horse Betting
Horse racing betting sites have been legal under 313.660 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, but only within the confines of a licensed racetrack. The only problem is that Missouri has no tracks, and online sports betting platforms cannot accept MO residents.
Land-Based Casino Gaming
There are already 13 casinos operating in Missouri, which offer table games, slots, restaurants and bars, and live entertainment.
| Casino | City | Parent Company |
|---|---|---|
| Argosy | Riverside | PENN Entertainment |
| Harrah's Kansas City | Kansas City | Caesars Entertainment |
| Bally's Kansas City | Kansas City | Bally's |
| Ameristar Kansas City | Kansas City | Boyd Gaming |
| Isle of Capri Boonville | Boonville | Caesars Entertainment |
| Horseshoe St. Louis | St. Louis | Caesars Entertainment |
| River City | Lemay | PENN Entertainment |
| Hollywood Casino St. Louis | St. Louis | PENN Entertainment |
| Ameristar St. Charles | St. Charles | Boyd Gaming |
| Mark Twain Casino | LaGrange | Affinity Gaming |
| St. Jo Frontier Casino | St. Joseph | Affinity Gaming |
| Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville | Caruthersville | Century Casinos |
| Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau | Cape Girardeau | Century Casinos |
Responsible Gambling in Missouri
Even though sports betting isn’t legal in Missouri yet, the state already has a strong commitment to responsible gambling practices, thanks to its casinos. Missouri casinos follow the American Gaming Association’s Responsible Gaming Code of Conduct, which pledges to prevent underage gambling, serve alcohol responsibly, advertise responsibly, and provide oversight.
You can sign up for Missouri’s voluntary List of Disassociated Persons (also known as the Problem Gambling list) online or in person.
You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline any time:
- Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER
- Text: 800GAM
- Chat: 1800gamblerchat.org
References
- U.S. Census Bureau
- New York Times
- Ballotpedia.org
- Missouri Secretary of State
- Constitution of Missouri
- YesOn2Mo.com
- Missouri Gaming Commission
- Missouri Indepedent
- Winning for Missouri Education
- St. Louis Public Radio
- Missouri Gaming Association: Responsible Gaming
- American Gaming Association
- Problem Gambling Help in Missouri
- Sports Business Journal
