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For those wondering which options they’ll have for betting on sports in Missouri when the state opens up legalized sports wagering, Oct. 22 is the date to circle on the calendar.
On Thursday, the Missouri Gaming Commission revealed its timetable once applications are in for the 31 tethered licenses. It expects to announce the operators who’ve secured tethered licenses by Oct. 22.
Operators hoping to offer Missouri sports betting when it launches in December have one week to submit an application.
Sportsbooks must submit house rules by Sept. 26
Applicants have until Sept. 26 to submit their house rules and internal controls to the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC). The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules outlined the state’s rules that sportsbooks must adhere to on Aug. 13, but committee members can suggest changes to the rules until Sept. 12.
The MGC will meet next on Sept. 23 and 24 in Kansas City, and though the agenda hasn’t been set yet, it’s conceivable the commission’s business will include discussion of the tethered license applications.
The MGC anticipates issuing temporary licenses by Oct. 22, then allowing sportsbooks to begin accepting deposits from customers a month later, according to the rules.
“Once an applicant has obtained its temporary license and has submitted its internal controls and house rules, the commission will provide the operator with a pre-authorization letter to provide to its third-party payment processors. Mobile sports wagering operators may allow patrons to establish online sports wagering accounts and accept deposits beginning at 12 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2025, provided the accounts are established in compliance with the proposed regulations and the operator has received its temporary license.”
At 12 a.m. on Dec. 1, operators with temporary licenses, provided they have completed the requirements for internal controls and house rules, can commence with live wagering.
What can sports fans bet on?
Though the college football regular season will have all but concluded, the first weekend of December brings a slate of conference championship games.
On Dec. 13, there’s one last traditional matchup before the bowl games start: the Army-Navy game. Then, that same day, the Cricket Celebration Bowl and LA Bowl start off a robust bowl season.
College football fans will also enjoy an expanded 12-team playoff starting Dec. 19, woven into the Big Six bowl games beginning Dec. 31, and culminating with the national championship Jan. 19.
The Kansas City Chiefs will have five games remaining in their 2025 season, starting with a game hosting the Houston Texans on Dec. 7. Many analysts expect the Chiefs to find their way to the postseason, which would provide betting opportunities beyond their season finale on Jan. 4, 2026, in Las Vegas to face the Raiders.
And though both Major League Soccer franchises in Missouri – St. Louis City SC, which recently partnered with FanDuel, and the Sporting Kansas City – likely won’t be in the postseason mix, the MLS Cup will be staged Dec. 6 in a finalist’s home stadium.
Applicants so far
DraftKings and Circa Sports – winners of the two untethered licenses – are the only sports betting operators so far confirmed.
Fanatics and Underdog have submitted applications for a tethered license, and a host of others –including Caesars, BetMGM, bet365, and Penn Entertainment – have given some indication they’ll be looking to enter the Missouri sports betting market.
