Missouri Sports Betting

What is the status of Missouri sports betting in 2024? It is not legal yet, but it might be soon as this November voters will get to vote on whether or not to introduce legal sports betting in the Show-Me State.

After several Missouri sports betting bills failed to move out of committee year after year, a coalition spearheaded by St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III managed to collect enough signatures to have a sports betting referendum placed on the Nov. ballot. Now voters get to decide whether or not Missouri will be joining the growing list of states with legal sports betting.

Read on to learn more about the chances of Missouri legalizing sports betting this year. We have also provided information regarding legal sports betting alternatives you can use in the meantime, including fantasy sports apps and social sportsbooks.

Is sports betting legal in Missouri?

As noted, sports betting is not yet legal in Missouri. The state’s lawmakers have made multiple attempts to legalize it since 2018, but Sen. Denny Hoskins repeatedly thwarted them.

Sen. Hoskins insisted he supports efforts to legalize sports betting, but only if the right bill is presented. He believed the right bill included the express legalization of video lottery terminals. These machines are found in many Missouri restaurants, truck stops, and bars. They currently operate in a legal grey area, but Hoskins wants to impose a tax on revenue generated from the machines and use some of it to fund veterans’ homes and cemeteries.

While that sounds like a separate issue from sports betting, Sen. Hoskins wants to lump them together on the same bill. By doing so, he has effectively obstructed any sports betting bills that do not also include a tax on the video lottery machines. In April 2023, he filibustered one bill for eight hours.

Proponents of sports betting grew frustrated with Sen. Hoskins and chose a different path. A coalition of six professional teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, the Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis City SC, and the Kansas City Current, banded together to support a ballot initiative allowing Missouri voters to have the final say on the issue.

As detailed below, the coalition succeeded and the referendum proposing a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting will appear on the ballot this fall. So while sports betting is not legal in Missouri yet, there is genuine hope it might become so soon.

Steps to legalize sports betting in Missouri

Several bills seeking to legalize sports betting have passed the Missouri House during the past few years, only to die in the Senate following Sen. Hoskins’ obstructions. Recognizing the situation, St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III stated in a January press release plans to create a coalition that would pursue “an initiative petition campaign to put the issue of legalized sports betting on the ballot for Missouri voters in 2024.” The Cardinals and other Missouri professional sports franchises all joined together to support the effort.

The coalition had to gather enough signatures from registered voters by May 5 to make this year’s ballot. The coalition called its campaign Winning for Missouri Education. Their plan proposes a 10% tax on sports betting revenues. After setting aside $5 million for a compulsive gambling fund, the remaining revenue would go toward public schools and higher education programs. The country’s two largest sportsbooks, FanDuel and DraftKings, each donated seven-figure sums to the PAC.

Just before the early May deadline, Winning for Missouri Education announced it had submitted 340,000 signatures ahead of the deadline, nearly twice the required total of about 180,000. Following the Secretary of State Office’s ratification of the signatures, the referendum will officially be appearing on the November ballot. That means the Missouri sports betting discussion will become a matter of public debate over the months leading up to the election as both the pro and con sides each make their case.

The referendum proposes a new constitutional amendment that would permit both online and in-person sports betting at pro sports venues and casinos. Licenses would be awarded to Missouri’s casinos and pro sports teams, along with a couple of standalone online sports betting licenses.

Meanwhile, Missouri’s casinos have not yet officially given up on the legislative path in 2024, although time is running out. Sen. Hoskins has also signaled his intent to continue obstructing those efforts, which means a constitutional amendment is the most likely solution right now. Sen. Hoskins has warned that Missourians could vote “no” on the referendum, but a recent poll from FOX4 in Kansas City and Emerson College found that 62% of registered voters would support the initiative.

How to bet online

Data from GeoComply shows that thousands of Missourians regularly head over the border to place legal online sports bets in Kansas and Illinois. That may not be necessary for much longer if Missouri’s pro sports teams succeed in their efforts to introduce legal sports wagering.

If you would like to register with an online sportsbook (once legalization occurs), follow these steps:

• Choose one of our recommended sportsbooks and click the link provided to visit the site. A message will confirm your sign-up bonus.
• Open the registration form and select your state. Enter your email address and choose a strong password.
• Provide your name, address, date of birth, phone number, and last four digits of your Social Security Number. Submit the form and verify your account.
• Visit the cashier page and make a deposit. The minimum deposit is typically $10.
• Click any bet you like, and it will appear on your bet slip. Enter the amount you would like to risk and confirm the bet. If your bet wins, the funds will be added to your account balance once the bet is settled.

Rules and limitations to Missouri sports betting

The proposed Missouri sports betting law would permit wagering on professional and college sports. These are some of the key points.

• Legal age: 21 or older
• Retail sportsbooks: In-person sports betting would be permitted at Missouri’s 13 riverboat casinos and half-dozen pro sports stadiums.
• Mobile betting options: Sports betting apps would be available on a statewide basis if the proposed sports wagering law is enacted.
• Geofencing: You must turn on your device’s location services to verify that you are in a legal state when using an app. If you visit an online sportsbook via a computer, you must use a GeoComply plugin to verify your location. Sites might alternatively use a different geolocation plug-in, such as XPoint Verify.
• Remote registration: There are no plans to require remote registration in Missouri, so you could sign up for an account online from anywhere in the state.
• Taxes on winnings: Bettors would need to pay taxes on their gambling winnings which are considered the same as any other income. Missouri has a graduated income tax ranging from 2% to 4.95%. You would also need to pay federal income tax on winnings according to your tax bracket. It is possible to deduct losses (up to the amount of your winnings), but only if you forgo taking the standard deduction when filing your federal return. It’s important to talk to a tax professional if you have any questions about your gambling-related taxes.

Alternative sports betting options

Supporters hope that Missouri will legalize sports betting soon. In the meantime, you can consider these alternatives:

• Fliff | This is a sweepstakes sportsbook that covers football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, boxing, MMA, and esports. Fliff offers the same markets found at real money online sportsbooks in other states, such as moneylines and point spreads. You can play with Fliff Coins, which have no monetary value. There is also the opportunity to unlock free Fliff Cash and redeem it for cash prizes.
• Underdog | This innovative fantasy sports app offers snake draft leagues and battle royale tournaments. Sports fans in Missouri may also be interested in the pick’em contests, which focus on player props.
• DraftKings | This popular DFS (daily fantasy sports) app has been available ever since the Missouri Fantasy Consumer Protection Act was approved in 2016. DraftKings covers a vast range of sports and leagues, and it is widely seen as the next best thing to sports betting in Missouri.
• FanDuel | FanDuel offers a very similar service to DraftKings. This operator dominates the fantasy sports market in Missouri, and both sites offer compelling welcome bonuses to attract new players.

Legal sportsbooks in Missouri

Real-money sportsbooks are not available in Missouri right now. Fliff and other sweepstakes-based sportsbooks are Missoruians only options at the moment.

However, this will change next year if voters approve a constitutional amendment later this year. If so, we will update readers with a list of the sports betting apps you can download and the retail sportsbooks you can visit.

Missouri sports teams: odds and guides

You will be able to bet on all the major pro sports teams in Missouri if a legal industry gets underway.

• NFL: Kansas City Chiefs
• MLB: Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals
• NHL: St. Louis Blues
• MLS: Sporting KC, St. Louis City
• WSL: Kansas City Current

Sporting KC and Kansas City Current play their home games in Kansas, but they are popular in Missouri. You will also be able to bet on college teams, such as the Missouri Tigers and Missouri State Bears.

Other betting options in Missouri

These are many other legal gambling options available in Missouri.

• Casino: There are 13 riverboat casinos in Missouri, including major resorts such as Ameristar Casino St. Charles and Hollywood Casino St. Louis. The state has not legalized online casinos, but you can use sweepstakes and social casino sites.
• Horse Racing: Pari-mutuel wagering is technically legal in Missouri, but the law only permits in-person betting. There are no horse racing tracks or off-track betting facilities in the state, so in practice, you cannot bet on horse racing in Missouri.
• DFS: The Missouri Fantasy Consumer Protection Act of 2016 allows fantasy sports apps and websites to operate in the Show-Me State.
• Poker: Some of the larger riverboat casinos in Missouri feature poker rooms, but online poker has not been legalized.

Responsible gambling in Missouri

Missouri has a dedicated problem gambling helpline: 888-BETS-OFF (888-238-7633). It is available 24/7, offering support, resources, and referrals to anyone who has a gambling problem. You can also call the national helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER.

Another useful resource is the Missouri Department of Mental Health, which offers treatment services for compulsive gamblers. It features tips on how to gamble responsibly, along with anonymous quizzes to help you gauge your risk. The Missouri Gaming Commission administers a voluntary exclusion program, too.