Missouri sports betting is officially coming! The industry was approved at the ballot box earlier this month, which means residents of the Show-Me State can finally expect legal sportsbooks in their area.
The question is, when will Missouri sports betting actually go live? We’ll attempt to provide some insight.
A quick launch is unlikely
It generally takes between six to 12 months for a state to launch sports betting after a ballot initiative is approved or legislation is signed. This means bettors hoping for a launch prior to February’s Super Bowl will almost certainly be disappointed.
In fact, those in Missouri hoping to use sportsbooks (and, by extension, Missouri sports betting promos) on the annual college basketball tournament are probably mistaken, too. That tournament is just over four months after the November vote. It’s incredibly unlikely that the state would have protocols in place to go live that quickly.
The most likely Missouri sports betting timeline
Instead, bettors should expect a Missouri sports betting launch in the summer of 2025. This gives regulators time to build the framework of the new industry and approve and distribute retail and online sports betting licenses.
In addition, this timeline also makes plenty of financial sense. A launch in July or August means Missouri bettors would be able to wager on NFL and college football action. Those seasons kick off in late-August and easily generate the most gambling money for sportsbooks. It also certainly helps that the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and the SEC’s Missouri Tigers call the state home, too.
Furthermore, such a launch would allow baseball fans to wager on the last parts of the MLB season. Leaders of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals were part of the Winning for Missouri Education coalition that pushed the Missouri sports betting ballot initiative. For that reason, it would be surprising to see Missouri sportsbooks go live after the 2025 baseball season ends.
More on a Missouri sports betting launch
Under Amendment 2, the latest possible launch date would come in December of 2025. However, doing so would leave plenty of money on the table. Such a launch would mean bettors miss three months of football season.
The November vote to legalize MO sports betting was a close one. At one point, the margin in favor was down to less than 1,000 votes. More votes from the state’s bigger counties trickling in has pushed the margin to more than 2,700 votes. This is still within the margin for a recount, but no party in the state has indicated one is coming.
