Missouri Sports Betting

Missouri, also known as the Show Me State, was one of the first states to join the national discussion on sports betting when the Supreme Court repealed the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. With restrictive gambling laws in place, the legalization of sports betting would be an exciting milestone for the state’s gambling industry. So where does Missouri stand on sports betting right now? Let’s finds out.

Is it legal to bet on sports in Missouri?

No. In Missouri, it is illegal to wager on the outcome of both professional and amateur sporting events. The closest thing Missouri has to legal sports betting is pari-mutuel betting on horse racing. However, there are no racetracks in Missouri, so it is only possible to wager on horse racing events that take place in other states.

Missouri’s lawmakers have introduced several bills that would legalize sports betting in the state in the future. These are the bills that have been introduced for discussion in the 2019 legislative session:

•    HB 119
•    HB 859
•    SB 44
•    SB 187
•    SB 195
•    SB 222
•    SB 327

Out of the bills introduced, SB 195 is the only one that would restrict sports betting to Missouri’s state’s riverboat casinos. The other five bills would also legalize online and mobile sports betting.

Where will I be able to place bets on sporting events in Missouri?

This will depend on the legislation. If sports betting is legalized, Missourians would be able to bet on sports at sportsbooks located on riverboat casinos in the state. However, legislation may also permit Missouri residents to bet on sports online via mobile sportsbook apps and websites whilst within state lines.

Which sports will I be able to bet on?

The bills do not specify which sports betting markets will be on offer, though this is likely to be confirmed by state regulators after sports betting is granted approval from the state. If Missouri regulators follow other regulated US sports betting markets, it is likely that they will permit wagering on professional sports such as NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB events and college sports.

What else can I bet on in Missouri?

Despite the state’s relatively strict gambling laws, there are several options for gamblers in Missouri. Residents can play the state lottery which offers multiple state and multistate drawings, but may also take part in bingo and raffle, which fall under the realm of charitable gambling.

The state of Missouri allows residents to participate gamble at casinos throughout the state. While land-based casinos are not legal in Missouri, residents can gamble at riverboat casinos across the state casino. Missouri casinos offer a wide array of casino games which include:

• Slots
• Video poker
• Poker
• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette

While the state allows casino gambling on riverboats, online gambling is illegal in the state of Missouri. As an alternative, residents can play games of skill on site such as WorldWinner for a chance to win cash prizes. Missourians can also take part in fantasy sports games offered by sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.

Here are the 13 riverboat casinos that operate in Missouri:

Are offshore gambling sites legal in Missouri?

Offshore gambling is illegal in Missouri. Although it is not explicitly mentioned in the state’s criminal laws, Article 13 of Section 572.010 defines unlawful gambling as anything that is “not specifically authorized under law.”  The state enforces a number of punishments for those who gamble using offshore sites, entailing both fines and imprisonment.

Legality aside, we recommend steering clear of offshore gambling sites because of the lack of regulation. These sites are not licensed or regulated, which means they are not subject to the same regulatory standards as authorized gambling entities in Missouri. As a result, offshore sites may not have implemented industry standard security and player protection measures. There’s also no guarantee that your play funds will be safe unlike at regulated US betting sites. Whereas licensed operators usually hold player money in accounts separate from their own, or that of any other players, there’s no guarantee you’ll have this protecting with an unlicensed gambling operator.

You can spot offshore gambling sites by looking at the website’s domain name – domains ending in .EU or .AG aren’t licensed to operate in Missouri.

Will it be safe to bet on sports in Missouri?

Given that Missouri’s gambling industry is already strictly regulated and places a strong emphasis on player protection and safety, it is more than likely that any sports betting regulations in the future will follow a similar framework to ensure sports betting is safe and fair.

Even with regulation that protects bettors, it’s important for individuals to gamble responsibly and never bet more than they can afford to lose. If you’re concerned about your gambling habits or know someone that may be suffering from problem gambling, there are several resources available to you. The National Council on Problem Gambling operates the National Problem Gambling Helpline which residents in Missouri can call to speak to a trained counsellor. The Missouri Department of Mental Health also offers a selection of resources to help Missourians that are struggling with gambling addiction.

You can contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline via:

Call: 1-800-522-4700

Text: 1-800-522-4700

Live chat

Who regulates gambling in Missouri?

The Missouri Gaming Commission is responsible for overseeing the state’s riverboat casinos, charitable bingo and fantasy sports games. The Missouri Horse Racing Commission is assigned to the Gaming Commission and provides advice on matters relating to pari-mutuel horse racing.

How old do I have to be to gamble in Missouri?

The legal gambling age varies, depending on the activity in question. While Missouri residents must be 16 to play charitable bingo games, the legal age to play the lottery is 18. You must be 21 years old to play at a casino in Missouri.

The journey to legal and regulated sports betting in Missouri

1984 – Voters in Missouri approved a constitutional amendment to authorize a state lottery and the Missouri State Lottery Commission.

1987 – The state fair began hosting horse racing events.

1988 – Missourians approved a constitutional amendment to allow raffles.

1990 – The state authorized the sale of pull-tab games.

1992 – Congress passed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), prohibiting sports betting across US states. Four states were made exempt from the law: Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana. These states had legal sports betting regulations in place.

During the same year, Missouri voters voted in favor of a constitutional amendment to allow riverboat casinos to operate on the rivers in the state. This led to the creation of the Missouri Gaming Commission the same year.

1994 – Riverboat casinos were granted permission to offer blackjack, baccarat, slots, roulette and poker.

1997 – Missouri took legal action against Interactive Gaming and Communications in Pennsylvania for selling online lottery tickets.

2000 – Missouri took legal action against two Californians, Marc Meghrouni and Scott Shaver, for operating an offshore casino site and accepting players from Missouri.

2008 – Voters approve Proposition A. This proposition aimed to raise the gambling tax rate, limit the number of casinos in the state, ban casino loss limits and create an educational fund from gambling tax revenue.

2010 – The state lottery joined the Mega Millions multistate lottery game.

2016 – The state legislature legalized and regulated fantasy sports games.

2018 – On 14 May, the Supreme Court reached a decision in the legal battle between New Jersey and the US sports leagues. In a 7 – 2 vote, it was agreed that one of the clauses in PASPA violated the Tenth Amendment, as it commandeered power from states to regulate their own gambling industries. This paved the way for all US states to decide whether or not to legalize sports betting. In the weeks after the repeal of PASPA, a number of US sportsbooks launched across the country.

Towards the end of the year, several sports betting bills were prefilled for the 2019 legislative session.

2019 – In February, the state legislature began looking at the various sports betting bills on file.

Although sports betting legislation has been introduced, it is important to remember that sports betting in Missouri is not yet legal.

Stayed tuned to Compare.bet for more updates on sports betting in Missouri.