Everything You Need to Know About Missouri Casinos & Online Gambling Sites in 2023

What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in Missouri?

Missouri may not have real money online casinos on the menu, but there are plenty of other ways to get in on the action. This section covers different types of legal gambling in Missouri.

Offshore online gambling sites are excluded from this list for a reason. These operators have no regulations to pay or protect customers. We always recommend wagering within the lines on Missouri casino games and other legal forms of gambling.

• Sports Betting Sports betting is not legal in Missouri. This may change if lawmakers approve Missouri sports betting bills. The new legislation would allow riverboat casinos to operate Missouri betting apps and retail sportsbooks.
• Racinos Racinos combine standard Missouri casinos and horse race tracks. Horse betting in Missouri (also called pari-mutuel wagering) was legalized in 1984. However, there are no tracks or off-track betting facilities in the state.
• Lottery Missouri Lottery tickets can be purchased from licensed retailers. Lottery games include Pick 3, Pick 4, Cash Pop, Lotto, Show Me Cash, Powerball, Mega Millions, and Cash4Life. There is a Missouri Lottery App, but it only scans tickets and tracks rewards.
• Casinos Riverboat casinos in Missouri offer a variety of slots and table games. Real money online casinos are not legal in the state. The only regulated online casinos in Missouri offer free specialty games, like A-Play Online and Stardust Casino. Social casinos, are also legal and free to play at.
• Bingo Bingo and other associated games, such as pull-tabs and merchandise coin boards, are legal if organized by a charity. Licensed providers include religious, fraternal, veteran, charitable, and service organizations.
• Poker Licensed Missouri casinos offer various styles of poker. Popular games include Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha, Three Card Poker, and Mississippi Stud. Some casinos in Missouri also have video poker games and tournaments.
• Daily Fantasy Sports Missouri has 10 licensed daily fantasy sports operators. DraftKings and FanDuel are the most popular DFS sites. Residents can win cash prizes in hundreds of contests for top leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

Retail Casinos in Missouri

There are 13 riverboat casinos in Missouri, located throughout the state. Locals still use the term "riverboat casino" even though Missouri casinos no longer have to float along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Each casino offers a variety of gaming options, amenities, and entertainment. Some locations keep the action going 24/7 for endless ways to win.

What is the Largest Casino in Missouri?

Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City is the largest Missouri casino. It has over 2,200 slot and video poker machines, 66 table games, 15 poker tables, and the biggest live poker room in the area. This casino also offers live entertainment, a luxury hotel, 7 dining venues, and 18 movie screens.

Coming in second place for largest casinos in Missouri is Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles. The 130,000 square-foot casino floor is filled with more than 1,700 slots, video poker machines, and table games. Other property features include a day spa, hotel, conference center, bars, and restaurants.

Do Missouri Casinos Have Hotels?

Most casinos in Missouri have hotels. Ameristar casinos offer full-scale accommodations with premium amenities, entertainment, dining, and gaming all under one roof. Rewards collectors could benefit from staying at Missouri casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment, who owns Caesars Sportsbook Missouri. Harrah's Kansas City, Horseshoe St. Louis, and Isle of Capri casinos in Missouri all accept Caesars Rewards for hotel stays, room upgrades, late checkouts, and other perks. 

Missouri Casino Hotels:

• Ameristar Casino Kansas City
• Ameristar Casino St. Charles
• Argosy Riverside Casino
• Century Casino Cape Girardeau
• Century Casino Caruthersville
• Harrah's Kansas City
• Hollywood Casino St. Louis
• Horseshoe St. Louis
• Isle of Capri Casino Boonville
• River City Casino

What Are Some of the Games Offered at Missouri Casinos?

Missouri casino lobbies are lined with thousands of gaming options. Every location offers a full selection of class titles and modern twists on table games and video slots. Here's a list of popular games you can find at casinos in Missouri.

• Slots Players can spin the reels on more than 14,000 slot games in Missouri casinos. Buffalo Link, Lightning Cash, and Express Luxury Line are some of the most popular titles. Riverboat casinos with progressive jackpot slots collect a portion of all bets to generate payouts that can reach six figures. Ameristar Casino Hotel St. Charles has 16 progressive slots with jackpots starting at $20,000.
• Table Games Missouri casino gambling options cover all of the classic table games like blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat. Notable twists on traditional titles include Trilux Bonus, Pai Gow, and Mini-Baccarat. Poker tables add an extra rush to standard games with variations like Texas Shootout, Criss Cross Poker, and No Limit Hold'Em. Some Missouri riverboat casinos have dedicated poker rooms and tournaments.
• Video Poker Video poker is a staple Missouri casino game. Every floor is stacked with single and multi-hand selections in several denominations like Ultimate X and Triple Double Bonus Deluxe. Harrah's Kansas City Casino also offers digital keno games. Players can set the pace for picking numbers instead of waiting for everyone to submit tickets for a regular keno draw.

Will Any of the Casinos in Missouri Have Sportsbooks?

Legislators are currently voting on sports betting bills to legalize Missouri Sportsbooks. If the bills pass, licensed riverboat casinos in Missouri will have to pay a one-time $100,000 application fee and renew the permit annually for $50,000 to operate a retail sportsbook. Each casino can partner with up to 3 sports wagering platforms.

What Missouri Casinos Are on the Water?

While all casinos in Missouri are called riverboat casinos, none are actually located on the water. Century Casino Caruthersville was the last riverboat casino in Missouri to open a land-based location following new legislation.

Missouri Gaming Commission regulations updated the definition of a riverboat casinos to include non-floating facilities with 2,000 gallons of water inside or beneath the structure. Missouri casinos still have to be within 1,000 feet of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, but the amendment allows more flexibility for new construction.

A History Of Gambling in Missouri

Like most states, Missouri gambling legislation has had its fair share of obstacles. Missouri was late to adopt lottery games but one of the first states to legalize riverboat casino gambling. Let's take a closer look at key events that have shaped the history of gambling in Missouri.

• 2023: HB 556 and HB 581 pass to the Senate for a vote to allow legal retail and online sportsbooks. These bills do not mention Missouri online casinos.
• 2021: SB 26 allows Missouri riverboat casinos to become a "non-floating facility" with 2,000 gallons of water in a container beneath or inside the structure.
• 2016: Missouri legalizes daily fantasy sports (DFS).
• 2008: Voters eliminate the $500 loss limit and increase taxes for casinos in Missouri.
• 1998: Lawmakers pass a gambling legislation amendment to allow riverboat casinos to operate on man-made moats within 1,000 feet of the Missouri River or Mississippi River.
• 1994: Licensed casinos in Missouri can offer slots and table games. Missouri Gaming Commission officials create the Charitable Games Division to regulate bingo operations.
• 1993: Missouri Gaming Commission regulations authorize casino games on excursion boats and floating facilities.
• 1992: Voters approve riverboat casino gambling with a $500 loss limit per trip.
• 1986: Missouri Lottery starts selling tickets to Jackpot ‘86.
• 1984: Regulators legalize lottery games and horse race betting.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Missouri?

Online gambling is not legal in Missouri. There are a few minor exceptions for residents to wager real money online. Check the list below for the current status of Missouri online gambling options.

• Online Casinos: Missouri online casino games for real money are not legal.
• Social Casinos: Social casinos in Missouri are legal, as true for most states. 
• Bingo Games: Licensed bingo operations are not eligible for online gambling or casinos in Missouri.
• Daily Fantasy Sports: Online wagers with licensed daily fantasy sports operators was legalized in 2016.
• Sports Betting: Legislation for legal sports betting in Missouri is pending.
• Poker Games: Online poker is a prohibited form of casino gambling in Missouri.
• Horse Race Betting: Pari-mutuel online gambling on horse races is not legal in Missouri.
• Lottery Games: Missouri Lottery tickets and games are not available online.

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Missouri Online Casino Laws

Missouri casino gambling laws prohibit all forms of unauthorized gambling activities where any item of value is exchanged for a certain outcome. Real money online casinos are not directly mentioned, but these general regulations can easily be applied to Missouri online casinos.

Missouri Online Gambling Laws:

• Participating in gambling outside of licensed Missouri casinos is a criminal offense.
• Accepting bets from members of the public as a business ("bookmaking") without a license is not an authorized gambling activity.
• Cash wagers on licensed daily fantasy sports websites are exempt from unauthorized online gambling activities.
• Residents can participate in unlicensed casino gambling that doesn't accept wagers or award prizes that have any cash value.

Any offshore online casinos that claim to offer legal online gambling in Missouri are also considered to be an unauthorized gambling activity.

Social Casinos and Sweepstakes Casinos in Missouri

Sweepstakes and social casinos are similar, but have some differences. Sweepstakes casinos use a loophole in the law to offer virtual credits or coins that can be exchanged for prizes, including cash or gift cards. These are not available in Missouri. Social casinos do not offer any cash, prizes or the ability to exchange credits for prizes. Social casinos are legal to play in Missouri. These social online casinos operate on virtual coins to play slots, table games, and poker. Residents can download social online casinos for iOS and Android devices from multiple Missouri casinos.

1. Stardust Casino (Ameristar Casino Kansas City, Ameristar Casino St. Charles)
2. PENN Play (Argosy Riverside Casino, Hollywood Casino St. Louis, River City Casino)
3. A-Play Online (Mark Twain Casino, St. Jo Frontier Casino)
4. BetRivers.net Casino4Fun

Some online casinos stick to slots, while others expand the lobby with selections of video poker, keno, blackjack, bingo, blackjack, and more. Even though social online casinos don't have cash prizes, players can win bonuses for free spins and coins.

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BetRivers.net Social Casino

If you want to access over 800 slots, plus tables and even a social sportsbooks (no real money betting), BetRivers.net Casino Missouri is the place to bet. Sign up to get $1000 virtual credits with the special Missouri casino promo from this site only. Although you won't win any real money, you can have a lot of fun on some of the most popular games. Many of these are exactly the same as those at the casinos in Missouri. 

When Will Online Casinos Be Legal in Missouri?

Regulators have not made any recent actions to legalize online casinos in Missouri. Instead, policymakers are focusing on sports betting bills that allow Missouri riverboat casinos to partner with sportsbook operators. The new legislation includes an online component that could open doors for Missouri online casinos. 

Several Missouri riverboat casino operators already have online gambling platforms in other states. Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming, and PENN Entertainment all offer online casinos and sportsbooks. This makes for an easy transition to online casinos in Missouri if lawmakers sign off on sports betting.

Who Would Regulate Missouri Online Casinos?

There are no details on which organization would regulate online casinos in Missouri, but it will likely be the Missouri Gaming Commission. This independent regulatory agency already oversees all casino gambling and gaming activities for riverboat casinos and daily fantasy sports. MGC officials will also control licensing and regulations for sports betting operations if it becomes legal.

Can I Visit Offshore Online Casinos?

Missouri residents can visit offshore online casinos, but these operators expose users to financial risks. Offshore real money online casinos will often claim to hold a proper license for legal online gambling in Missouri. These claims are actually a false representation of gambling laws that don't explicitly prohibit online casinos.

Licenses for offshore online casinos are issued in other countries with little or no gambling regulations. This means offshore online casinos don't have to comply with any federal or state laws for fair play or financial management.

Offshore Online Gambling Risks:

• No requirements to pay winnings
• Unlicensed casino gambling software
• Predatory bonus terms and conditions
• High fees on withdrawals
• Unsecured payment processing

We only recommend wagering with licensed Missouri online casinos. Legal online casinos will identify their license from the appointed state regulatory authority on the Missouri online casino app and website.

Responsible Gambling

Missouri riverboat casinos offer a range of responsible gambling initiatives. Signs and brochures with information on identifying and managing problem gambling are available at every location.

Casinos in Missouri are required to use cashless banking methods (e.g., casino chips) that allow patrons to set deposit and time limits. Operators can also verify requests for the Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) on these accounts to help customers who want to stop visiting riverboat casinos and online casinos.

Additional support is provided by the Missouri Department of Mental Health. The Missouri Problem Gambling Helpline (888-BETS-OFF) is available 24/7 to anyone affected by problem gambling. Other local resources and programs can be found on the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

Author

Candice Reeves

Candice Reeves is an expert reviewer for BetMissouri.com. Candice built a writing career in wealth management, cryptocurrency, and software applications. Her work is routinely featured in leading finance and technology publications, including WealthRocket.com, CryptoVantage.com, and StackCompare.com. Her investing background serves her well as a sports betting analyst.