Missouri's eligible sportsbook partners are set to start taking bets in the state Dec. 1 with no wagers originating from in-person sportsbooks at stadiums.

- Missouri sports betting launches Dec. 1, but no teams declared in-stadium sportsbooks in spite of being eligible.

- Cardinals and St. Louis CITY SC are the only Missouri groups with sportsbook partners so far.

- Online wagering is expected to control the marketplace, with 95% or more of wagers positioned via mobile apps.

A 2024 tally procedure narrowly passed by voters made Missouri amongst a handful of legal sports wagering jurisdictions that allow in-stadium sportsbooks. None of the six potential professional sports locations that can legally house retail books within or adjacent to their respective stadiums have revealed strategies to do so.

The procedure allowed 2 "untethered" online sportsbook operators to go into the state without associating with a Missouri gambling establishment or sports group. All other operators have actually partnered with among the other celebrations for in-person or online licensure eligibility.

Only two of the 6 pro teams - MLB's St. Louis Cardinals and MLS' St. Louis CITY SC - have announced third-party sportsbook partners ahead of the Dec. 1 launch. Though the other four might strike deals in the coming months, none are placed to take bets on the go-live date.

Cardinals executives were amongst the most prominent voices backing the 2024 step. The group has sought to make its Ballpark Village home entertainment district beside Busch Stadium a year-round location, which would lend itself to opening a sportsbook available to consumers even during the Cardinals' offseason.

But the team did not file a retail book application ahead of a due date that would permit a Dec. 1 opening. Its sportsbook partner, UK-based bet365, especially doesn't operate any retail books in the U.S.

St. Louis CITY revealed FanDuel as its sportsbook partner shortly after the sportsbook lost out on one of the two untethered bids. In the release announcing the offer, the group did not indicate it would open a FanDuel-branded retail book by its Energizer Park home arena west of downtown St. Louis.

FanDuel making an application for the untethered Missouri sports betting license also shows the team did not focus on a retail book in Missouri.

The NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and MLB's Kansas City Royals share a sports complex that is numerous miles from downtown. Both groups are looking at new arenas, potentially in surrounding Kansas, most likely decreasing interest in retail books as their future playing site remains unsolved.

The NHL's St. Louis Blues and the NWSL's Kansas City Current are the other two potential Missouri teams.

Changes to betting habits

Sportsbooks' choices not to open retail shops at stadiums comes as in-person wagering makes up a progressively small portion of their profits.

In-person wagering made around 15 to 20% of overall handle in the months after the Supreme Court stuck down the federal betting restriction that restricted single-game sports wagering outside Nevada. That number has actually decreased to around 5% as online sportsbooks become more robust and easily offered.

Since 2018, significant U.S. sportsbooks have actually improved their online platforms to provide hundreds and even countless bets on individual video games. The business have actually likewise broadened - and prioritized - profitable single-game parlays that allow gamblers to stack an increasing variety of legs, a betting alternative that is far simpler to put on a mobile device than in-person.

The leading books are likewise investing numerous countless dollars in expanding live and in-play betting. These offerings keep gamblers engaged longer and, like parlays, have higher profit margins than conventional pre-game point spread or overalls bets.

BetMGM Sportsbook at Nationals Park to close at season's end (h/t @TalkNats) https://t.co/cnCqWvpzkM

Even for gamblers at stadium sportsbooks, most likely some of the most engaged sports bettors, online platforms are more convenient than betting windows and kiosks.

Now, like in Missouri, many of the jurisdictions that allow in-person sportsbook have actually seen at least among the books close - or not open in the first location.

Washington, D.C., the very first jurisdiction to open an in-person sportsbook, has actually seen two of its three books reveal their closure, consisting of the BetMGM book at Nationals Park at the end of the 2025 MLB season. Retail books in Phoenix, Cleveland, and Cincinnati have actually also shut down.

In surrounding Illinois, the DraftKings book at the Cubs' Wrigley Field is the just open retail book; none of the state's other pro groups have actually opened books in spite of the alternative to do so. Even with the facilities the majority of these books use including walls of tvs along with food and beverage alternatives, the capability to place an in-person bet is no longer a draw to the huge bulk of the wagering public.

Casinos provide in-person betting alternatives

There will still be eight in-person options for Missouri sports gamblers spread throughout state casinos.

Ameristar gambling establishments in the St. Louis and Kansas City regions will have Fanatics-branded books. Caesars will open its eponymous retail books at its Harrah's Kansas City and Horseshoe St. Louis homes.

PENN Entertainment will open ESPN BET books at all 3 of its Missouri casinos: Argosy Kansas City along with Hollywood and River City near St. Louis. Century Casino in Cape Girardeau is set to open a BetMGM book through a collaboration with MGM.

8 Missouri casinos have applied to open retail sportsbooks:

Ameristar St. Louis (Fanatics).
Ameristar Kansas City (Fanatics).
Argosy KC (ESPN BET).
Century Cape Girardeau (BetMGM).
Harrah's KC (Caesars).
Hollywood STL (ESPN BET).
Horseshoe STL (Caesars).
River City STL (ESPN BET)

Missouri might also see 9 or more mobile books come Dec. 1.

DraftKings and Circa have already made mobile licenses and are set to go live Dec. 1. They will likely be signed up with by bet365 and FanDuel as well as Caesars, ESPN BET, BetMGM and Fanatics.

Underdog looked for a sports betting license however has not divulged its necessary market access partner. Kambi, a third-party sports wagering tech supplier, has actually likewise requested a sports betting license, but it hasn't announced a sportsbook partner or prepare for a consumer-facing platform.