Only one state legalized sports betting in 2024, and that was Missouri, where voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment last month to make the Show-Me State the 39th to legalize it nationally.
With the referendum’s results now official and the potential of a recount no longer a threat, the focus is now on two questions: When will Missouri sports betting launch, and which sportsbooks will seek licenses?
Even before the referendum, sports betting has been popular in Missouri for years. A study by GeoComply a year ago found more than 280,000 sports betting accounts in the state that were connected to licensed operators in Illinois and Kansas, two of Missouri’s seven neighboring states where sports betting has been approved for more than a year.
As we await information from the state’s Gaming Commission on its next steps, BetMissouri.com is here to provide details of how long the implementation took in various states, as well as a breakdown of the operators most likely to offer sports betting.
When Will Sports Betting Launch?
The simple answer to that question is: No later than Dec. 1, 2025. That’s the language Winning for Missouri Education included in its proposal.
Although some states have taken up to a year or longer to go from legalization to launch, it’s highly likely Missourians will not have to wait that long. In fact, as Missouri Gaming Commission Chair Jan Zimmerman told the Springfield Daily Citizen on Nov. 7, two days after the election, the state hopes to let operators take bets “much sooner” than the stated deadline.
For starters, the state already has several pieces in place to facilitate a quicker rollout. The commission has been in place for more than 30 years, since before the first riverboat casino opened its doors in 1994. Fantasy sports is among the games the state agency oversees as lawmakers legalized that in 2016.
Regulating casinos and fantasy sports provides a foundation from which the state can build its sports betting rules and policies. In addition, the commission may look to outside consultants – as Kentucky did – to create the framework for sports betting regulations.
States like Kentucky and Kansas needed just a few months to go from their sports betting laws taking effect and the opening of the first sportsbook or mobile app. Those launches, though, were timed to coincide with the start of the NFL season, which is when operators report the highest handles and, typically, the highest revenues.
While it’s possible for Missouri sports betting apps to start in time for March Madness or the beginning of baseball season, an early September launch timed with the NFL’s 2025 Kickoff makes the most sense.
What Sportsbooks Will Be Available In Missouri?
Since interested operators must first be approved by the Gaming Commission, most sportsbooks tend not to say much about their plans for a state before that happens, aside from expressing general interest.
However, industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings provided most of the $43 million that Winning for Missouri Education received for its successful campaign. It would be shocking if either were denied a license.
Beyond those two, several other gaming companies that own or manage Missouri’s 13 casinos will almost certainly seek licensure for their sportsbooks. That would include PENN Entertainment’s ESPN Bet and Caesars Sportsbook. Missouri casinos that do not have an established sportsbook brand may choose to develop their own brand or may already have partnerships in place with other sportsbooks.
Missouri’s sports betting amendment also provides the state’s six major league franchises with the opportunity to partner with a sports betting operator, and the state may award up to two licenses to standalone operators. That means more than 20 sports betting licenses could be approved. However, as we’ve seen in the most recent launch states, such as North Carolina, the number of initial licensees will likely be smaller – perhaps by half.
In addition to the operators mentioned above, other likely applicants will include BetMGM Missouri, bet365 and Fanatics Sportsbook. Missouri’s low tax rate (10%) could also lead to Circa Sports and Prime Sports, two operators that have an old-school, low-hold mentality, to apply. Underdog Sports, which is an approved Missouri fantasy sports operator and is a licensed sportsbook in North Carolina, could also be in play in Missouri.
BetMissouri will provide updates as developments in the state, including MO betting promos, take place.
