In 2025, Missouri became the 39th state in the United States to offer legal sports betting in a regulated market when it launched on Dec. 1. Let’s examine how the Missouri sports betting rollout went and take a look at what to expect in the Show-Me State in 2026.
Missouri Sports Betting: Where Things Stand
Missouri legalized sports betting via a voter referendum in 2024, and 2025 was all about preparing for the rollout. This process was long and complicated.
Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) officials first said that the legal sports betting market would open on June 30. They quickly realized that was not feasible, after Missouri secretary of state Denny Hoskins ruled that the MGC didn’t have the “emergency rules” authority to create rules outside of the normal legislative process.
After meetings with lawmakers, the MGC announced in February that the launch would be delayed until the fall. However, even that proved to be too ambitious. The Missouri sports betting market didn’t open until Dec. 1 – the final day possible according to the deadline set in the 2024 voter referendum.
Before Dec. 1, the MGC issued licenses to eight sportsbooks throughout the year, including BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings. Several of the state’s sports teams also netted lucrative partnerships with legal sports betting sites. FanDuel partnered with St. Louis CITY SC, while bet365 signed a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in March.
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What's Next?
There were more than 250,000 active sports betting accounts and more than 2.6 million geolocation checks on the first day of legal sports betting in Missouri, according to leading geolocation verification company GeoComply.
The MGC has yet to issue any revenue or active bettor information. Once these numbers become available, they will surely be the major talking point in the Missouri sports betting market during 2026.
Another issue expected to rear its head in 2026 is prediction markets. Like many states, Missouri is grappling with how to regulate these markets as well as event contracts. The MGC has not taken a stance on prediction markets yet.
However, MGC chair Jan Zimmerman said in December that she will be “watching” the prediction markets industry. Specifically, Zimmerman wants to see “how it will impact sports wagering” in Missouri.
Other states, including Nevada and New Jersey, have already banned prediction markets. Whether Missouri decides to join them will be a significant talking point in 2025.
Notes and Quotes
- “Your viewers and many others in the state thought once the vote passed we could just flip a switch and sports wagering would go live. That’s not the way that it works, unfortunately,” said MGC chair Jan Zimmerman, addressing criticism about delaying the launch of the Missouri sports betting market.
- “I really, truly hope that it makes a lot of money for education and it satisfies a need for the citizens of Missouri,” Zimmerman said of legal sports betting in Missouri.
- “I do think there's a little bit of an element of it's new, so it's a lot more noticeable right now,” said St. Louis Blues chief revenue and marketing officer Steve Chapman about the backlash against sports betting advertisements in Missouri. Chapman was one of the biggest advocates for legal sports betting in Missouri.
Year in Review
Feb. 24: The Missouri Secretary of State's office denies the MGC’s emergency rulemaking authority, leading to massive delays to the launch of legal sports betting in Missouri.
March 24: bet365 becomes the first sportsbook to partner with a Missouri sports team, agreeing to a “marketing partnership” with MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals.
May 15: The MGC begins accepting sports betting license applications from sportsbooks wanting to do business in the Show-Me State.
Oct. 22: Missouri issues licenses to nine operators ahead of the official launch date in December.
Nov. 25: Underdog withdrew its temporary sports betting license to instead focus on its prediction markets product in Missouri.
Dec. 1: The Missouri sports betting market officially opens, with eight legal online and in-person sportsbooks: BetMGM, bet365, Caesars Sportsbook, Circa Sports, DraftKings, theScore Bet, Fanatics Sportsbook, and FanDuel.
