When can I bet on the Chiefs, Royals in Missouri? What’s next for sports betting
Missourians narrowly voted to legalize sports betting on Tuesday, Nov. 5, making Missouri the latest state to allow gambling on major sporting events. Unofficial results show 50.1% of residents voted in favor of legalizing sports betting, while 49.9% voted no.
The passage of Amendment 2 opened the door for the state’s professional sports teams and casinos to offer sports betting two years after it became legal in Kansas.
The amendment will technically go into effect Thursday, Dec. 5, 30 days after the election, and sports betting must be allowed in the state by Dec. 1, 2025. Before betting is actually allowed, what needs to happen? When can people start placing bets? Here’s what to know.
When can Missourians gamble on sports?
While the amendment goes into effect Dec. 5, it will be a while before Missourians can officially place bets on sporting events. Several factors can determine when the first bet is placed.
Some of these factors involve the Missouri Gaming Commission and when it decides to establish regulations and issue licenses to places and teams that intend to offer sports gambling in-person and around the state, like online services FanDuel and DraftKings or professional sports teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.
There is also the possibility of legal challenges since the vote was so close. If there are any, it could delay the timeline.
As an example, Kansas legalized sports betting in the state May 12, 2022 and the first bet was placed Sept. 1, 2022. Kansas Lottery, which oversees sports gambling in the state, rushed to set the rules so people could place bets before the 2022 NFL season.
Kansas Lottery’s regulations originally had problems that the Kansas Attorney General’s Office identified. They notified and provided formal feedback to the Kansas Lottery and allowed the agency to correct legal deficiencies before betting was open to the state.
If the same four-month turnaround were to happen in Missouri, wagers could be placed in March, shortly before the 2025 MLB season, but Chiefs fans would miss out on Super Bowl 59.
Where can I place bets?
Once legalized, you will be able to place bets anywhere in Missouri on approved betting apps. Some apps that could be approved are BetMGM, DraftKings or FanDuel.
The amendment states that each of the six major professional sports teams in Missouri — the Chiefs, Royals, Kansas City Current, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and St. Louis City SC — could create a retail sports betting location within a district near its stadium for people to wager.
The state’s six casino companies could open a retail sportsbook inside their buildings and offer online betting options. The professional teams could also give fans a branded online betting platform.
You will have to be ages 21 and up to place bets in Missouri.
If you are concerned that you or someone you know may have a gambling problem and need help, call 800-522-4700 or 888-238-7633
