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Missouri Legal Sports Betting Market Facing Delays

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 1:43 PM EST • 1 min 63 sec read.

Missouri Legal Sports Betting Market Facing Delays
Pictured: St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko is congratulated by center Robert Thomas after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche. Photo by Jeff Curry via Imagn Images.

Might be a little tap of the brakes for some of our best sports betting sites as they speed toward launching in Missouri.

A rejection of Missouri's emergency sports betting rules by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is a setback in the state's timeline for the launch of legal Missouri sports betting.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) was hoping for a June 2025 launch but now anticipates the rollout being delayed until at least fall 2025. The denial was because Missouri's statute demands that emergency rules are only necessary to address an immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare or preserve compelling governmental interest.

Hoskins determined that the proposed rules did not meet this requirement and recommended that they follow the standard rulemaking procedure, compelling the MGC to apply it. The gaming regulator said its proposed licensing rules, which were initially filed alongside the emergency rules, will become effective on August 30. That means it will be a little longer before residents can take advantage of Missouri sportsbook promos.

This is because the commission cannot start accepting applications until late summer. Rules must be approved before the regulators can officially start the licensing process. Regulatory agencies typically require 60 to 90 days to process and approve applications.

Because the 2025 NFL season starts on September 4, sportsbooks in Missouri may not be operational in time for the opening game of football season but still be within the legal deadline of December 1, 2025.

Change in digital skins regulations possible

Other than the procedural delays, another complication to Missouri's sports betting launch is the potential re-examination of the number of digital skins each casino operator will receive. The MGC had originally read the law to provide for one digital skin per physical casino location, a positive development for most industry stakeholders.

This reading had led big operators such as Caesars Entertainment to drop their resistance to a ballot measure that would legalize sports betting.

However, recent developments have shown that the Missouri Attorney General's office is reviewing the legislation's language and may reverse this interpretation. If the office were to decide that casino companies merit only one digital skin per company rather than per location, this would significantly reduce the number of online sportsbook licenses.

The distinction is essential because Missouri's incumbent casino operators tend to have more than one physical location, and the stricter interpretation would limit their online footprint in the state. Industry stakeholders are uncertain whether Missouri will wind up with 14 or 21 mobile sportsbooks as regulators await the opinion of the Attorney General.

This re-interpretation of the licensing model could have broader implications for Missouri's sports wagering market. If fewer digital licenses are available to casino operators than initially expected, this could lead to further market consolidation, decreasing consumer choice and competition.

But if the broader interpretation prevails, Missouri could have a more competitive online sports wagering market with additional operators able to participate.

Despite the setbacks, the MGC has reaffirmed its determination to overcome the constitutionally imposed starting date of December 1. While the delay is a letdown for stakeholders eager to launch sports betting operations, the commission's schedule remains within the parameters of the law.

Written By:
Ziv Chen
Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.