Missouri online sports betting launches Dec. 1, with top sportsbooks entering the market after a delayed rollout and key license decisions this summer.

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Missouri sports bettors can place legal wagers with sportsbooks in-state beginning Dec. 1. Several additional milestones pre-date the launch.

Key Takeaways

Missouri Sports Betting Launches Dec. 1 : Regulators are reviewing license applications for a planned launch of online and retail sportsbooks on Dec. 1.

: Regulators are reviewing license applications for a planned launch of online and retail sportsbooks on Dec. 1. License Types and Key Dates Set : Two untethered licenses will be awarded Aug. 15; others must partner with casinos or teams and apply by Sept. 12.

: Two untethered licenses will be awarded Aug. 15; others must partner with casinos or teams and apply by Sept. 12. Top Brands Expected to Enter Market: FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, bet365, and others plan to launch in Missouri, which offers a low tax rate and fee structure.

Missouri regulators are working to approve what is expected to be roughly a dozen sportsbooks interested in launching in the Show Me State. Applications for all prospective licensees opened May 15. Any book, in-person or online, awarded a license can accept bets beginning Dec. 1.

Sportsbooks are eligible for one of three license types, which will be announced at varying dates ahead of the go-live date.

Sportsbooks pursuing one of two “untethered” licenses are due July 15. These licenses don’t require sportsbooks to partner with a land-based casino or professional sports team, creating a potentially streamlined process for market access.

FanDuel and DraftKings, the two national sports betting leaders by market share, are expected to apply for the two untethered licenses. The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC), which will determine the two license holders, has said publicly that the award decision is open to any eligible licensee.

Applicants can appear before the MGC Aug. 13. A decision announcement is set for Aug. 15.

Online sportsbooks that didn’t win one of the two untethered openings have until Sept. 12 to apply for a license in partnership with one of the state’s brick-and-mortar casinos or professional sports teams. The licensees will be revealed some time ahead of the Dec. 1 launch.

Prospective Missouri sportsbooks

Many of the leading national brands have already announced intentions to go live in Missouri.

FanDuel and DraftKings announced they would do so on their respective corporate earnings calls earlier this year. The companies spent a combined $30 million on a 2024 ballot measure to back amending the state constitution to support legal Missouri sports betting.

BetMGM, the No. 3 online gaming operator by market share, also announced its Missouri launch plans during a recent earnings call. Bet365 is also a safe bet following a market access deal with MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals.

ESPN BET manager PENN Entertainment and Bally Bet parent Bally’s have direct market access via their operations of Missouri casinos. Caesars, which originally opposed the ballot measure over concerns of limited market access deals for its brick-and-mortar properties, also has a direct path to launching its mobile sportsbook.

Other likely entrants are BetRivers, Fanatics, and Underdog. Additional national brands such as Hard Rock, which operates in neighboring Illinois, could also be interested in the state.

Missouri’s 10% tax rate on gross gaming revenue and $500,000 license fee are below the national average among the 39 states that have approved legal sportsbooks.

Missouri sports betting launch delay explained

After sports betting legalization efforts failed in the legislature for several years, DraftKings, FanDuel and the state’s pro sports teams led a campaign to get a sports betting ballot measure before voters in November 2024. The measure narrowly passed after surviving legal challenges and the Caesars-led opposition campaign.

The MGC had hoped to approve all necessary follow-up regulations in time for a June 30 launch. Instead, the Secretary of State’s office rejected a plan to expedite the licensing process, which pushed the timeline back nearly five months.

Missouri will go roughly 13 months from sportsbook approval vote to first bet, one of the longest turnarounds in the U.S.

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Mobile sports betting is headed to Missouri — here’s what locals are saying

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) — Century Casinos announced a new partnership with BetMGM that could make online sports betting a reality for Missourians by the end of the year. This comes as Missouri is gearing up for the December launch of legal sports betting.

Under the deal, BetMGM will run its betting platform using Century’s license — pending state regulatory approval. However, the announcement comes with questions about the roll out of sports betting in the state.

The law — passed by voters last November — sets a 10% tax on sports betting revenue. That money is earmarked for education but only after administrative costs and a mandatory contribution to the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund.

As Missourians eye the December 2025 launch of legal sports betting, residents are speaking up — some welcoming the change, others raising questions and concerns about addiction and regulation.

People shared their thoughts with FOX23 through the NOW Local News app.

“One of the things I’m excited about is just being able to live bet in the comfort of my home,” Brent said. “Also one of the questions that arises is tax implications from your winnings. You always need to look into that as well.”

“I do have concerns over individuals that are participating in online sports betting that they will have debt accumulation, the financial risk, the loss of money, you know, chasing wins or chasing losses,” DeeDee said.

“One of my biggest concerns is making sure that the money actually goes where they said it would. I know some of it they said would go to schools. So that’ll be interesting to see the outcome of that,” Georgia said. “I’m also glad that my husband doesn’t have to drive out to Illinois, anymore, to place his bets.”

The Missouri Gaming Commission still needs to approve final licenses and regulations.

Missourians eager to place legal sports bets will have to wait until December 1, 2025, as the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) confirmed the state will not meet any earlier launch timeline. Initially hoped to kick off by late summer, the program’s debut was delayed due to the thorough regulatory and licensing process required under state law.

According to MGC Chairwoman Jan Zimmerman, the rigorous application and vetting steps simply won’t allow the system to go live any sooner. “It’s our responsibility to make sure everything is done right,” she emphasized in a statement quoted by KSHB 41 Kansas City. “We would never want to not do our due diligence, not only with sports betting but with anything we do.”

The timeline now ensures sports betting in Missouri will begin after the college football regular season ends and deep into the NFL calendar.

Regulatory Delays Push Timeline Back Months

The rollout was initially expected to occur sooner, but faced multiple regulatory hurdles. In particular, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected the emergency rules proposed by the commission, arguing they didn’t meet the threshold for urgent action.

“According to Missouri State Statute 536.025, the emergency rulemaking process is reserved for situations that require immediate actions,” Hoskins stated. “After careful review, we determined that the situation does not meet these urgent criteria.”

As a result, the commission proceeded with the regular rulemaking process, requiring public input and a formal revision period. The final set of rules is slated to take effect on August 30, after which the state will accept license applications until September 12.

License Applications Underway, With Strict Oversight

The licensing process officially opened May 15 and will conclude in phases:

July 15: Deadline for untethered (independent) online sportsbook applications

August 13: MGC will hear from applicants

August 15: Two standalone online licensees will be named

September 12: Final deadline for all other applications

Under the legislation, the state can issue 19 physical casino licenses and up to 14 online sportsbook licenses. Operators can either apply directly for an online license or partner with one of Missouri’s six pro sports teams or 13 casinos to enter the market.

Several companies are already aligning for entry. bet365, for instance, partnered with the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this year. Underdog Fantasy and BetMGM have also confirmed their intent to apply, although BetMGM’s access route remains undecided. Notably, BetMGM already has a sponsorship deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Major players like DraftKings and FanDuel, who heavily invested in the state’s sports betting ballot initiative, are also expected to join the fray, though specific partnerships haven’t been finalized.

Sports Betting at Missouri Stadiums Coming Soon

With the December launch date, Kansas City Chiefs fans will be able to legally wager from inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium starting with their Dec. 7 home game against the Houston Texans.

The law also permits professional teams like the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis Cardinals, and St. Louis City SC to host sportsbooks within their stadiums. However, past trends in other states suggest most bets will be placed via mobile apps, not on-site kiosks.

Kansas City Councilman Wes Rogers emphasized the significance of the legislation, especially as neighboring states like Kansas and Illinois have long benefited from legal sports gambling. “We’ve been working on this for years,” Rogers said. “The state needs the tax revenue… they’re taking a lot of revenue from us, so I’m looking forward to keeping that home.”

He also noted that legalized sports betting may play a role in ensuring Missouri keeps its pro sports teams, including the Chiefs and Royals, amid stadium funding debates.

Public Backing Barely Secured Sports Betting Legalization

Missouri became the 39th U.S. state to legalize sports betting after a narrow November referendum, which passed by just 0.1%—a mere few thousand votes. Under the law, 10% of revenue generated from betting activities will go toward education programs, gambling addiction prevention, and regulatory costs.

Though the rollout has been slow and meticulous, Zimmerman stressed the importance of ensuring that all licenses are awarded responsibly. “A year from now, nobody in Missouri will remember a time when we didn’t have sports wagering, right?” she said.

For now, sports fans in Missouri must wait until winter to place legal bets—but officials promise the extra time will result in a secure, well-regulated market that keeps money in the state and supports its future.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) has announced that it will start taking applications for sports betting licenses on Thursday, paving the way for the opening of legal sportsbooks within the state.

The move came after the commission voted unanimously in favor of a final rulemaking resolution in a special meeting on Tuesday. The resolution had received advance clearance and vetting from Governor Mike Kehoe’s office.

This regulatory release comes after voters narrowly passed a constitutional amendment last November to legalize sports betting statewide. As one condition of the amendment, the government of Missouri had to implement and operationalize sports betting by Dec. 1, 2025. The MGC has outlined a licensing and regulatory framework to meet this deadline.

Two mobile sports betting licenses, known as Direct Mobile Licenses, are being granted first and will be highly sought after by the best sports betting sites. These licenses are not limited to any current land-based casino business, and these pre-approved operators will be permitted to offer sports betting directly over mobile platforms.

Applications for these licenses must be submitted by July 15 of this year. The commission’s schedule shows that these applicants will be heard on Aug. 13 and that the selected licensees will be disclosed two days later, on August 15.

Retail and tethered mobile sports betting licenses will be issued on a slightly slower schedule. The deadline for applications for any operator that wishes to begin offering services by the Dec. 1 opening date is Sept. 12. This category includes sportsbook operators that intend to partner with existing Missouri casinos for in-person or mobile betting.

Final rules still in formation

Despite efforts to move the deadline earlier, the MGC faced early pushback to its emergency rules submitted. In February, State Secretary Denny Hoskins, who once opposed sports betting as a state senator, rejected an emergency rules petition to permit quicker rollout of sports betting.

The state regulations governing Missouri’s sports betting market take effect on August 30. But the MGC is getting ahead of things by warning aspiring operators to begin collecting and providing their data before then. The idea is to streamline the review and approval process as much as possible so operators will be active by the deadline mandated by the constitutional amendment.

The MGC highlighted that this formalized timeline will mark a more seamless approach to its December deadline. The phased licensing process also provides sufficient time for conducting due diligence, background checks, and technical readiness, which are prerequisites for granting final operating permits.

Once operational, Missouri’s sports betting market will be under regulation and will include both mobile and retail channels, making regulated betting platforms available to residents.

KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County. Share your story idea with Tod .

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Chiefs Kingdom, circle Dec. 7 on your calendar, if you’re into sports gambling, because that’s the first Chiefs home game — a Sunday night showdown with the Houston Texans — where you’ll be able to place a wager from your seat at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, according to the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Chairwoman Jan Zimmerman said that is the earliest the Missouri Gaming Commission, or MGC, which approved its final rules for sports betting Tuesday, expects sportsbooks in the Show-Me State to go live at casinos and mobile apps. The extensive vetting process will prevent the rollout from happening sooner.

Missouri Gaming Commission chairwoman says sports gambling will go live Dec. 1

“The process is very detailed by design, because we want to make sure that the people who get a license in the state of Missouri are people who should get a license,” Zimmerman said. “… It takes that long to get all of the information that we need, get the Ts crossed and the Is dotted, to make sure that we’re issuing the licenses appropriately.”

The MGC started accepting license applications for sports-wagering licenses in Missouri on Thursday under temporary rules, which were also approved Tuesday. The final rules officially go into effect Aug. 30, and the last day for entities to file a license application is Sept. 12.

“We’ve been working on this for years,” Wes Rogers, a Kansas City, Missouri, councilman from the Northland, said. “The state needs the tax revenue. We’re about to benefit from that — especially, as we’ve talked about for years, with Kansas and Illinois already doing this. They’re taking a lot of revenue from us, so I’m looking forward to keeping that home.”

He also said he thinks it will aid in the effort to keep the Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.

Rogers stopped short of calling legal sports gambling a prerequisite, but he acknowledged that it definitely gave Kansas at least one significant advantage before Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment in November.

“I’m glad we don’t have to answer that question,” Rogers said. “We did the right thing. It’s going to help us keep the teams, and I’m happy for that.”

Under the new law, the Chiefs and Royals will be allowed to operate a sportsbook at their respective stadiums, though experience in other states suggests most bets will be placed via phone apps.

“I actually did that once when the Chiefs lost to the Colts a couple years ago in Indianapolis, and it changes the environment,” Rogers said. “It changes the experience for fans, for sure, and it makes it better for the people who want to do that.”

Soon, that will include Chiefs fans — and Royals, Kansas City Current, St. Louis Cardinals and Blues, and St. Louis City SC fans.

“I don’t think anybody probably will feel really good until we get to the time where you know it’s actually become effective,“ Zimmerman said, “but they’ve (the MGC staff) just done an amazing job. … A year from now, nobody in Missouri will remember a time when we didn’t have sports wagering, right?”

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