What is Circa Sports? This sports betting app won coveted Missouri license
Circa Sports beat out major sports gambling company FanDuel to receive one of two Missouri mobile betting licenses.
The Missouri Gaming Commission chose the relatively small Las Vegas company, which focuses on high-dollar bettors, alongside industry giant DraftKings.
In January, Reuters reported that DraftKings and FanDuel had a “duopoly” over American sports gambling, with DraftKing making up 34% of market share of American online sports betting companies at the end of 2024 and FanDuel with 44%. Circa was too small to be included in the report.
Circa CEO Derek Stevens wrote in an Aug. 15 statement that getting the license was a “great honor.”
“We came in as the long shot against national giants like DraftKings and FanDuel, but our licensure approval today proves there’s room for a different kind of operator.”
FanDuel will still have a chance to run a sports betting app in Missouri. St. Louis Public Radio reported that the gambling giant can apply for a license through a casino or sports team, and Missourians won’t be able to tell the difference.
Before Missourians place money on football, basketball, baseball and soccer games, learn about a smaller player in the sports gambling industry.
What is Circa Sports?
Circa Sports runs sports betting in Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Colorado and Nevada, through its app and locations in casinos. The company is known for its high-dollar NFL gambling competitions. They cost $1,000 to enter for the whole season and have guaranteed payouts up to $15 million.
Circa Sports began operations in 2019. It was founded by Stevens, a Detroit-born owner of Las Vegas casinos.
In addition to the Circa Sports app, the company has an eponymous 618 room casino and hotel in Las Vegas, which includes the self-proclaimed world’s largest sportsbook, with space for 1,000 viewers.
Why was Circa Sports chosen for a mobile license in Missouri?
Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director Michael Leara told St. Louis Public Radio that the organization liked Circa’s focus on big-spending gamblers.
When will sports gambling be legal in Missouri?
Missouri sports gambling won’t be ready for the Chiefs’ season opener Sept. 5. It must start by Dec. 1, according to the ballot initiative narrowly approved by voters in November 2024.
After Dec. 1, people in Missouri over the age of 21 will be able to place bets on professional and collegiate sports games in casinos and online.
The state of Missouri will impose a 10% tax on sports betting, with the first $5 million allocated to a fund intended to help prevent compulsive gambling, according to ballot language. The remaining money will go to K-12 schools and higher education. Missouri was one of the last states to legalize sports gambling — of Missouri’s neighbors, only Oklahoma prohibits the practice.
Have more questions about sports gambling in Missouri? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
