Sports betting is officially legal in Missouri as of today, December 1, 2025. This marks a historic time with fans now able to place wagers on their favorite teams after a long stretch of debates between lawmakers. A 2024 voter-backed amendment finally paved the way for the statewide launch. Anyone aged 21 or older can place bets in person at licensed casinos or directly from their mobile devices through approved sportsbook apps.
The rollout is bringing big names to the state, and operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and bet365 are now live. This reduces the number of Missourians who previously needed to drive across state lines into Kansas or Illinois to place simple wagers. Everything from moneylines to player props to parlays is now available without having to leave the state.
The state expects sports betting to provide a solid economic boost, and a 10 percent tax on sportsbook revenue will help fund education initiatives and expand resources for responsible gaming. While this will not cause a major shift in the state budget, it is a meaningful source of new revenue from an activity that many people were already participating in but doing elsewhere.
For fans, the biggest change is the experience, as betting adds an extra layer of excitement to sports. It might be a few dollars on the Chiefs, sweating out a Mizzou basketball spread, or tracking a few player props with friends, but it is all legal now. Casinos, teams, and sports bars are also preparing for an increase in foot traffic and new partnerships tied to sports wagering.
Users must be physically inside Missouri’s borders for mobile betting to work. Apps will use location services to verify this, which is a common point of confusion. Another notable detail is that while people can wager on how many points a particular athlete will score in a game, this does not apply to Missouri colleges or universities, which are restricted.
Regulated markets like this are much more protective for bettors since they provide safer payouts, secure transactions, dispute resolution through the Missouri Gaming Commission, and remove the need to use offshore sportsbooks.
This launch is only the first phase, as more sportsbooks, retail betting lounges, and team partnerships are expected in 2026 and beyond as the market grows.