Any Missouri sports betting operator that wants to be live for launch day must have their applications submitted by Friday.
Sept. 12 is the last day the Missouri Gaming Commission is accepting applications that will qualify for a temporary Missouri sports betting license to launch on Dec. 1.
“Submitting applications on time ensures they will be thoroughly reviewed and considered promptly,” says the commission’s website. “Meeting this deadline allows for the issuance of temporary licenses, enabling Sports Wagering Suppliers to test and certify all necessary systems and equipment before the launch date.”
While Missouri is missing the beginning of both college football and NFL betting seasons, bettors within the state likely are not. Missouri is almost completely surrounded by legal sports betting states, which means those tax dollars will continue to flow out of state for the next nearly three months.
Missouri sports betting progress so far
According to the Missouri Gaming Commission, seven operator applications have been submitted through Sept. 5.
Circa and DraftKings are a step ahead of the others in the process. The two were selected as the state’s untethered sports betting operators in August, with upset-bid Circa sliding into the winner’s circle past FanDuel.
FanDuel was ready for either outcome and announced its access partnership with St. Louis City FC the same day.
Caesars, ESPN Bet, Fanatics and Underdog also submitted their applications.
Other partnerships already announced
Three other market access agreements have been announced so far.
The most recent announcement came at the end of August with Fanatics partnering with Boyd.
BetMGM is partnering with Century Casinos for access, the casino operator announced in May.
Bet365, meanwhile, is the sports betting partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, according to a March announcement.
Neither bet365 nor BetMGM has submitted its application yet according to the MGC.
Outside boost for Missouri sports betting?
The new budget in Illinois led to another sports betting tax increase in the state, but this one is a bit different than the first.
Customers are directly feeling the effect of this per-bet tax, which charges sportsbooks 25 cents per bet through the first 20 million wagers and 50 cents per bet after that. While some operators chose to raise minimum bets to combat the tax, others have added surcharges that are paid by the bettor.
Social media posts show bettors are not happy with the tax. It could lead bettors in East St. Louis to travel into Missouri, which could bump up the state’s totals.
That could directly benefit DraftKings the most. Illinois required in-person registration at multiple times after launch, and DraftKings partnered with Casino Queen in East St. Louis.
