The Kansas City Chiefs season is set to kick off on Thursday night, but any Missourians who want to bet on the game are going to have to keep waiting for legalization.
That makes the partnership between DraftKings and the Chiefs confusing for some; especially when the Kansas City Chiefs Twitter account is posting betting lines for the game. With no access to mobile sports wagering in Missouri, why is the team sending out such a bet?
That has sparked conversation and frustration among Chiefs fans and sports bettors alike.
Chiefs deal with DraftKings more about marketing than actual sports betting…for now
Currently, there is no legal sports betting in Missouri. Legislation has gotten closer to being passed over the years, but there is still no Missouri sports betting market. Chiefs’ fans have no option to wager on sports in the state or at Arrowhead Stadium.
This is why the Chiefs’ Twitter account – now known as X – tweeting about over/under bets has frustrated and confused fans.
On the surface, it is confusing for the Chiefs to have not just one, but two sports betting partners in DraftKings and BetMGM. But the marketing alone from a partnership with an NFL team is usually worth the price of admission for these sportsbooks. Plus, having early access to a sports betting market before it legalizes provides a head start of sorts.
That still does not make it less frustrating for Missourians who are having sports betting options thrown in their face despite having no access to placing such wagers.
Reactions to this confusing post by the Chiefs
Taking a look at the replies to the tweet sent out by the Chiefs reveals the frustration of fans and bettors.
Many of the outraged fans are pointing to the double standard of not allowing access to these websites in Missouri, but social media personnel having the ability to send them out anyway.
Another consistent source of anger is NFL marketing sports betting while its players are being punished for doing so.
Still, while some are angry, others understand the complexity involved.
While this situation seems temporary, there is no denying the bad taste it is leaving in the mouths of many fans and bettors.
When could sports betting be legalized in Missouri?
In 2023, another sports betting bill died in the Missouri Senate yet again and now the soonest sports betting could arrive will be in 2024.
Even if legalized in the next legislative session, it will likely take another year after being passed before sportsbooks can begin taking wagers in the state.
The process is a long one as many other states know, but legalization seems to be more a matter of when as opposed to if.
Missouri House of Representative Dan Houx has been leading the charge for legalizing sports betting in the Show-Me State, and while progress has been made, the goal has not been reached. The biggest hurdle to overcome is Senator Denny Hoskins who has repeatedly struck down sports betting bills unless it includes language to address video lottery terminals (VLTs). Hoskins has gone as far as deploying the filibuster which included a reading of Ronald Reagan’s biography to waste time of the legislative session.
Every year sports betting legislation creeps closer to being passed, but until VLTs and Sen. Hoskins are no longer holding up the legislative process, sports betting bills will likely continue to die in the senate.
The sheer amount of money being lost as sports betting remains illegal in Missouri is staggering. Over Super Bowl weekend in 2023, sportsbooks lost out on $25 million in wagers from Missouri.
GeoComply data showed over 250,000 unsuccessful attempts to place wagers in Missouri between Saturday morning and the end of the game. Some of those who are unable to place wagers in Missouri headed to Kansas or Illinois to do so; leaving Missouri with millions in lost tax revenue to other states.
