Missouri’s long-awaited sports betting market is officially open. At the stroke of midnight on December 1, the Show-Me State became the 39th U.S. jurisdiction with legal sports gambling, launching both online and retail sportsbooks after voters narrowly approved Amendment 2 in November 2024.
The constitutional amendment set December 1, 2025 as the target launch date and authorized betting through the state’s riverboat casinos, professional sports teams and a limited number of standalone online licenses. Regulators have now granted approvals to a first wave of operators including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Circa Sports and others, giving Missouri bettors immediate access to a full menu of mobile apps and retail books.
Launch day had all the trappings of a major U.S. betting debut. At casinos like Isle of Capri Boonville and venues across St. Louis and Kansas City, sportsbooks rolled out celebrity first bets, ribbon cuttings and aggressive sign-up promos tied to the Kansas City Chiefs, the St. Louis Blues and college rivalry games such as the Missouri–Kansas “Border War.” For many bettors, the opening days are being framed as a rare moment when promotions can tilt the odds slightly in their favor.
From a policy perspective, Missouri’s model lands in the U.S. mainstream. The state applies a 10% tax rate on sportsbook revenue, with proceeds earmarked primarily for education. Lawmakers also built in a dedicated stream for safer gambling: at least $5 million annually will support problem gambling services, a higher floor than many earlier-adopting states.
Still, regulators and advocates are warning that launch is just the beginning. Missouri’s program bans wagering on high school sports and gives the state’s Gaming Commission expanded oversight over advertising and promotions, amid national concerns about saturation and the impact of prop bets and in-play markets on vulnerable players.
For now, though, operators are racing to carve out market share in a state of more than six million residents and deeply passionate fan bases. After years of stalled bills and border-state FOMO, Missouri has finally joined the legal betting map—just in time for the stretch run of the NFL and college football seasons.
