Is sports betting legal in Missouri? 2025 Launch date & operator updates

Sports betting expansion has slowed dramatically over the last year. However, that will soon change. Missouri will launch legal sports betting in the second half of 2025. 

While regulators were hoping to have everything up and running this summer, in place for football, Secretary of State Denny Hoskins threw a wrench into those plans when he rejected a series of emergency licensing rules set forth by the state’s gaming commission. Proponents now target a December 1 launch for Missouri.

Yes, sports betting is legal, but it is still not operational. The commission announced in May that operators are required to submit their applications by the 12th of September.

The commission had hoped to get the ball rolling sooner, but Hoskins, a staunch opponent of sports betting, denied an emergency rules application in February. Hoskins essentially deemed the push unnecessary, saying the December deadline could still be achieved without emergency assistance.

Even with the delayed launch, bettors have the option of wagering on offshore betting sites, whether that’s the perennial powerhouse Kansas City Chiefs or someone else.

Some may still ask themselves, “Is sports gambling legal in Missouri?” While there’s been a noticeable void in sports betting expansion since North Carolina opened its doors to bettors in March 2024, Missouri is poised to break the drought. Amendment 2 passed with just over 50% of the vote last November, making the Show Me State the 39th U.S. market to legalize sports betting.

Supporters celebrated the amendment’s passage, with Sports Betting Alliance President Jeremy Kudon declaring it a “huge victory for Missouri fans.”

While many see legal sports betting as a potentially huge revenue driver for the state — estimates say it could generate up to $105 million for the state’s education fund over the first five years — not everyone is sold.

Since the historic Supreme Court decision in 2018, a number of states, including Missouri, have experienced difficulties clearing the necessary hurdles to green light online sports betting.

After failing to gain much traction previous years, 2022 saw a glimmer of hope. Proposed legislation passed the House and advanced to the Senate, where it was filibustered by the author of a competing bill. It resulted in the Senate adjourning for the year without acting on sports betting.

In 2023, multiple sports betting bills were introduced, including SB 30, which also was derailed in the Senate.

While two more sports betting bills (SB 852 and SB 824) failed to pass during the following year’s legislative session, ending May 24, 2024, a breakthrough on legality wasn’t far off. On November 5, 2024, Missouri residents narrowly approved Amendment 2, allowing sports betting in the state.

Missouri state betting laws call for a 10% tax on all revenue, with proceeds directed toward education and gambling addiction programs.

For operators, the application process is just beginning. However, bettors may already have an idea of what sportsbooks will be available to them when December rolls around.

FanDuel already provides daily fantasy sports (DFS) to Missouri residents, notably, social sportsbooks are also legal in Missouri, and has a partnership with Boyd Gaming, which owns two casinos in the state. DraftKings is also a fixture because of its DFS options and operates a retail casino, DraftKings at Casino Queen, just across the border in East St. Louis, Ill. BetMGM also conceivably has a clear path to approval given its partnership deals with both the NFL and MLB. The same goes for bet365, which recently agreed to serve as the St. Louis Cardinals’ official betting partner.

Other likely entrants include Caesars, which already operates three brick-and-mortar Missouri casinos, Fanatics, and ESPN BET.

Altogether, the commission will be allowed to issue up to nineteen retail and twenty one online licenses for sports betting, with six professional sports franchises and thirteen land-based casinos eligible for one each. Because of its plentiful professional sports offerings, Missouri is viewed as a ripe market for sports betting.

Worry not Missourians, you shouldn’t have to wait too much longer to wager on your favourite team. These processes take time, and the Show Me State is certainly no exception.

Now, it’s a matter of waiting for the application process to play out. Licensing rules will take effect on August 30, meaning the commission will have approximately three months to review submissions before it hands out temporary permits.

For residents asking, “Is it legal to bet on sports in Missouri?”’ The answer is yes, and the countdown has begun!