Riverboat Casinos Permitted to Receive Missouri Sports Betting Licenses

As the process of launching Missouri sports betting gets underway, we continue to receive more details about what the setup will look like. The latest update? Access to Missouri sports betting licenses for Riverboat Casinos.

Initially, it was not totally clear whether these establishments would be part of sports betting coming to Missouri. However, the Missouri Gaming Commission chairperson recently said Amendment 2, the initiative bringing sports wagering to The Show-Me State, allows them to apply for multiple types of licenses. As Pat Evans of Legal Sports Report writes:

“According to the [Missouri Gaming Commission’s] interpretation of the ballot question, each of the state’s 13 riverboat casinos can open an in-person sportsbook and operate an online sportsbook. Missouri’s six professional sports teams also can operate in-person and online sportsbooks. The MGC can also allocate two untethered online licenses.”

This a big-win for Riverboat Casinos—in more ways than one.

In-person gambling is not necessarily considered a core part of the future. It will always serve as a destination option. Especially when gambling is offered on a riverboat. However, the vast majority of sports betting in the United States now takes place online. A similar trend applies to general casino gambling, albeit the transition is happening at a slower rate.  

In theory, Missouri Riverboat Casinos could be facing a monster disadvantage. Without any type of sports betting license, they would cede massive amounts of business to local sports teams and land casinos. Getting on-site licenses is a huge deal. 

Having the right to open online sports betting apps in Missouri is an even bigger deal. It should allow them to keep space with local pro sports teams and other casinos by offering the preferred, most popular version of sports wagering.

The Push for ‘Untethered’ Missouri Sports Betting Licenses Could Start a Bidding War

The opportunity for Riverboat Casinos to receive Missouri sports betting licenses is even more critical when considered the “untethered” language in Amendment 2. By our interpretation, these two licenses will be the ones that get awarded to the corporate sportsbooks. And in all likelihood, this will translate to DraftKings and FanDuel opening up shop in Missouri.

Of course, nothing is yet etched in stone. As of mid-January, The Show Me State has not opened the application process. Other online sports betting apps in the United States will have the chance to enter the running.

This, in turn, could incite a bidding war. With only two slots available, the competition may be fierce. Granted the Missouri sports betting market is not quite flagship size. But it has the chance to be as lucrative as, say, online sports betting in Ohio. At the very least, it should be on par with online sports betting in Kansas. 

Regardless, opening up the market to sportsbooks outside Missouri increases the importance for all casinos to get their own licenses. If they can only offer on-site casino gambling, their appeal to the larger population will pale in comparison to online options.

This would remain true even if casinos offer exclusively on-site sports betting. Not only is online sports betting in the U.S. more popular, but the two Missouri mobile betting sites that ultimately get licensed will likely be industry heavyweights with the revenue and resources to easily outstrip brick-and-mortar locations’ market share. 

When viewing the future through this lens, then, Riverboat Casinos have secured a gargantuan victory with their inclusion being part of Amendment 2.

When Will Sports Betting Launch in The Show Me State?

This question gets asked over and over and over again. And we cannot blame anyone for inquiring. Amendment 2 stipulates Missouri sports betting must launch by December 2025. But the Missouri Gaming Commission has not yet committed to a concrete date. And given that the sportsbook licensing process isn’t currently underway, many are wondering whether there might be a longer than anticipated wait. 

Fortunately for sports betting enthusiasts, this does not appear to be the case. The Missouri Gaming Commission’s chairperson, Jan Zimmerman, expects services to launch this coming summer. As Evans writes:

“While Missouri sports betting regulators are hard at work, sportsbooks likely will not launch until this summer. Missouri Gaming Commission Chair Jan Zimmerman told KCUR last week that she expects Missouri sports betting to begin by the summer. The ballot initiative that passed in November requires sportsbooks to launch by December. MGC Executive Director Mike Leara laid out a similar timeline last month.”

Although Evans’ verbiage paints this timeline as something of a disappointment, it jibes with initial speculation. Missouri benefits from being able to follow the blueprints of other states with legal sports betting. This means they should be able to roll out their operations much faster once the licensing process is all set. 

Still, even a six-month or so timeline is aggressive. If they are on track to meet it, that should be interpreted as a positive sign. It also means that Missouri sports betting will be live in time for the 2025 NFL season. And this, without question, is always the primary goal. Many other markets have tailored their launches to capitalize on the peak of online NFL betting. From the looks and sounds of things, the Missouri sports betting market intends to follow that formula.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: