In 2025, Missouri became the 39th state in the United States to use legal sports betting in a regulated market when it released on Dec. 1. Let's take a look at how the Missouri sports wagering rollout went and take a look at what to anticipate in the Show-Me State in 2026.

Missouri Sports Betting: Where Things Stand

Missouri legislated sports betting by means of a citizen referendum in 2024, and 2025 was all about preparing for the rollout. This procedure was long and made complex.

Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) officials first stated that the legal sports betting market would open on June 30. They rapidly realized that was not feasible, after Missouri secretary of state Denny Hoskins ruled that the MGC didn't have the "emergency rules" authority to create rules beyond the normal legal process.

After meetings with legislators, the MGC revealed in February that the launch would be postponed till the fall. However, even that proved to be too ambitious. The Missouri sports wagering market didn't open until Dec. 1 - the last day possible according to the deadline embeded in the 2024 voter referendum.

Before Dec. 1, the MGC released licenses to eight sportsbooks throughout the year, consisting of BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings. Several of the state's sports teams likewise netted financially rewarding collaborations with legal sports wagering websites. FanDuel partnered with St. Louis CITY SC, while bet365 signed an offer with the St. Louis Cardinals in March.

What's Next?

There were more than 250,000 active sports betting accounts and more than 2.6 million geolocation checks on the very first day of legal sports betting in Missouri, according to leading geolocation confirmation company GeoComply.

The MGC has yet to provide any profits or active wagerer details. Once these numbers end up being available, they will undoubtedly be the major talking point in the Missouri sports betting market during 2026.

Another concern expected to rear its head in 2026 is prediction markets. Like many states, Missouri is coming to grips with how to regulate these markets as well as occasion agreements. The MGC has not taken a stance on prediction markets yet.

However, MGC chair Jan Zimmerman stated in December that she will be "watching" the prediction markets industry. Specifically, Zimmerman wishes to see "how it will impact sports betting" in Missouri.

Other states, consisting of Nevada and New Jersey, have already prohibited prediction markets. Whether Missouri chooses to join them will be a considerable talking point in 2025.

Notes and Quotes

- "Your audiences and many others in the state believed as soon as the vote passed we might just flip a switch and sports betting would go live. That's not the way that it works, sadly," said MGC chair Jan Zimmerman, attending to criticism about postponing the launch of the Missouri sports betting market.
- "I truly, genuinely hope that it makes a great deal of cash for education and it pleases a need for the people of Missouri," Zimmerman said of legal sports wagering in Missouri.
- "I do believe there's a little bit of an aspect of it's new, so it's a lot more obvious right now," said St. Louis Blues chief income and marketing officer Steve Chapman about the reaction against sports betting advertisements in Missouri. Chapman was one of the biggest supporters for legal sports wagering in Missouri.

Year in Review

Feb. 24: The Missouri Secretary of State's office denies the MGC's emergency rulemaking authority, causing massive hold-ups to the launch of legal sports betting in Missouri.

March 24: bet365 becomes the first sportsbook to partner with a Missouri sports group, agreeing to a "marketing collaboration" with MLB's St. Louis Cardinals.