At least 10 online sportsbook operators are entering the final sprint before Missouri sports betting begins 1 December.
The Missouri Gaming Commission reported that 10 sportsbooks applied for sports betting operator licences by last Friday’s deadline. That could grow as the MGC said it would accept applications with a postmark date of 12 September. The commission received 734 applications in total for operators and suppliers as of the deadline day.
The MGC expects to issue temporary licences on 22 October.
Operators of the online sportsbooks can then begin customer signups and deposits 17 November. After completing requirements for internal controls and house rules, operators can begin live wagering at midnight 1 December. It will be the first new US market since North Carolina’s online sportsbooks went live in March 2024.
Sportsbooks ready for the Show-Me State
The application period opened 15 May, with the September deadline used for operators hoping to be ready for the 1 December go-live date.
DraftKings and Circa already secured untethered licences after winning a competitive bid process last month. FanDuel applied unsuccessfully for an untethered licence. Despite FanDuel’s demonstrated market-leading capabilities in US sports betting, the commission liked the “different types of bettors” Circa might attract.
The operators are:
- Bet365
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- Circa
- DraftKings
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics
- FanDuel
- Kambi
- Underdog
While the application deadline has passed, there are still multiple steps left for the hopeful operators. The commission will hold meetings on 23-24 September to hear from applicants. Applicants must turn in house rules and internal control details by 26 September.
The state will tax sports betting revenue at 10%.
Missouri sports betting partnerships
After missing out on an untethered licence, FanDuel announced it has partnered with Major League Soccer team St. Louis CITY SC.
Bet365 partnered with Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, the team that helped steer the ballot initiative in 2024 to legalise sports betting. The Cardinals and other professional sports teams in Missouri launched the initiative after multiple years of legislative deadlock on the issue. Sports betting was narrowly approved by just over 50% of voters in November 2024.
BetMGM announced it has partnered with Century Casinos, while Fanatics paired up with Boyd Gaming, which has two Ameristar Casino locations in Missouri.
Penn Sports Interactive applied for a licence for ESPN Bet through its Hollywood Casino and River City Casino locations in the state. Likewise, Caesars applied for a licence through its Harrah’s Kansas City and Horseshoe St. Louis casinos. Casinos can open in-person sportsbooks.
Underdog and Kambi have not announced market access partners.
Missouri sports betting is on track for a December launch, with 10 operators having applied by the deadline and untethered licences already awarded to DraftKings and Circa.