Missouri sports betting

Is Missouri sports betting legal?

Yes. The Missouri Gaming Commission's sports wagering launch notice (opens in a new tab) set the start of legal sports betting for midnight at the start of December 1, 2025, covering both online and retail wagering. Bettors anywhere in the state can now use state-licensed sportsbooks.

Sports is the exception in Missouri, not the rule. The state still has no licensed online casinos, so the same phone that can open a licensed sportsbook can't open a licensed slot app. Our Missouri hub sets out every form of gambling side by side.

How sports betting became legal in Missouri and the US

Until 2018 a federal law, PASPA, stopped most states from authorizing sports betting. On May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court decided Murphy v. NCAA (opens in a new tab) 6–3, holding that PASPA's ban on states authorizing sports gambling broke the Constitution's anticommandeering rule. No part of the law could be saved, so it fell, and states became free to legalize sports betting.

Missouri was a later mover. Its market opened more than seven years after Murphy, and it now runs under the Missouri Gaming Commission, the same body that oversees the state's 13 commercial casinos (an AGA count). For the national picture, see PASPA and Murphy v NCAA and our sports betting laws page.

Legal Missouri sports betting apps: how to check one

Third-party reports from Fox Sports and sigma.world say seven sportsbook operators were licensed for launch. We haven't verified that number on the Gaming Commission's own pages, so we don't print a list of brands. The Commission is the authority on who holds a license, and its list is the one to trust over any marketing.

1. Find the operator's name in the app's footer or terms and note it exactly.
2. Check that name against the Missouri Gaming Commission's sports wagering information.
3. Confirm the app states that you must be 21 and asks for proof of age and identity.
4. Read the house rules on settled bets, voided bets and account limits before you deposit.
5. Set a deposit limit on day one if the app offers one, and note how to close the account.
6. Keep records of deposits, withdrawals and wins for tax time.

Missouri-licensed sportsbooks vs offshore betting sites

Offshore sportsbooks took bets from Missouri long before the state's own market opened, and some still do. Bovada's own restricted-state list, for example, names 20 states and districts, and Missouri isn't among them. That list reflects the operator's choices, not a Missouri approval. Our Bovada review covers the brand.

With licensed options available from St. Louis to Springfield, there's less reason to accept offshore risk for sports. Our offshore vs state-licensed casinos guide explains the protection gap in more detail.

The Wire Act and offshore sports betting

The federal Wire Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1084 (opens in a new tab), makes it a crime for a person in the business of betting or wagering to knowingly use wire communications to transmit interstate or foreign bets on sporting events, or information that helps place them. Its wording targets operators, not individual bettors.

The First Circuit's January 20, 2021 decision in New Hampshire Lottery Commission v. Rosen (opens in a new tab) held that the Act's prohibitions cover only bets or wagers on sporting events or contests. That is why the Wire Act matters most for sports. A June 2021 letter from state attorneys general said the ruling directly binds the Justice Department only as to the parties in that case. See our Wire Act page.

Prediction markets and sports contracts in Missouri

Missouri's Attorney General has moved against platforms that sell sports contracts outside the state's licensing system. A release from his office is titled "Attorney General Hanaway orders unlicensed prediction markets to cease and desist unlawful sports wagering" (opens in a new tab). We rely on that title here; the release itself is the place to read the details.

Congress is debating the same issue. A Congressional Research Service report dated August 17, 2026 lists bills that would bar CFTC-regulated exchanges from listing sports-event contracts, including H.R. 7477 and S. 4160 / H.R. 9856. None is law as recorded. Our prediction markets page tracks them.

Missouri sports betting taxes for bettors

Sports betting winnings are taxable federal income. A sportsbook issues Form W-2G when winnings are $2,000 or more and at least 300 times the wager, under IRS rules for 2026. Where winnings minus the stake exceed $5,000 on such a bet, 24% regular withholding applies.

Every win counts as income, even with no form. From the 2026 tax year, losses are reported to be deductible only up to 90% and only against winnings; check IRS guidance. We haven't confirmed Missouri's tax rate on sportsbook operators or its state income tax treatment of winnings, so ask a tax professional. See do I pay tax on casino winnings.

Missouri sports betting age and other gambling ages

You must be 21 to bet on sports in Missouri, according to the Gaming Commission's launch notice. The casino age is also 21, according to the AGA, while the Missouri Lottery's minimum age is 18. Our gambling age by state table compares Missouri with its neighbors.

Online casinos and sports betting in Missouri: how they differ

Many sportsbook customers also see online casino ads. In Missouri, those casinos are offshore, unlicensed and outside the Commission's reach. If you want the casino side of the picture, our Missouri gambling laws page explains the legal gap, and real money casinos in Missouri covers offshore sites and their terms.

Phone play is the other common question. Licensed sportsbook apps are available to Missouri adults, but there's no licensed casino app; our mobile casinos in Missouri page explains what browser-based offshore casinos involve.

Help for sports bettors in Missouri

Sports betting is fast, constant and easy to chase. A budget set before the season, deposit limits in the app and breaks between bets all help. Chasing a losing parlay with a bigger one is a warning sign, not a strategy.

Missouri's problem gambling line is 1-888-BETSOFF (1-888-238-7633), promoted by the Missouri Lottery. The National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), with call, text and chat at the National Council on Problem Gambling (opens in a new tab). Both are free and confidential. Our deposit limits guide shows how to set limits.

Online casino offers shown to Missouri sports bettors

None of our partners is a sportsbook. The game lists reported for these two casinos cover slots, table games and video poker, not sports betting, so they don't fit this page's topic and no partner does. If you want to bet on sports, use a Missouri-licensed sportsbook. The offers below are shown for readers who also play casino games. Both casinos are offshore and not licensed by Missouri or any US state, and Missouri hasn't authorized online casino games, so check the state's law. We earn a commission through our links, and the order is commercial. Offers are for new players, 21+ (18+ where allowed), and terms apply.

Planet 7 Casino: $2,750 Welcome Bonus + 45 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). We couldn't confirm Planet 7's terms on its own site. Third-party reviews describe a 200% match under code WELCOME200 with 30x (bonus + deposit) wagering on slots, a $1,000 max cashout and a $30 card minimum. Reported withdrawal caps are $2,500 a week, and reviewers describe long payout waits. Michigan's Gaming Control Board named Planet 7 in its April 9, 2025 cease-and-desist release. Read the Planet 7 review.

Royal Ace Casino: $2,500 Welcome Bonus + 35 Free Spins, via our link (new players, 21+ or 18+ where allowed, terms apply). Third-party sources conflict on the package. One reports 250% up to $2,500 plus 35 spins; another reports 200% up to $4,000 at 30x (bonus + deposit) on slots and 60x on blackjack and video poker, with a max cashout of 10 times the deposit. Royal Ace isn't named in any of the three Michigan releases. Reports say it refuses Ohio players, with no mention of Missouri. See is Royal Ace legit.

The bonus math. At 30x (bonus + deposit), a $50 deposit with a 200% match ($100) means $4,500 of slot wagering. At a 4% house edge that averages $180 in losses, more than the bonus, and a $1,000 max cashout limits the upside. Table games are often excluded or weighted lower. Gambling is entertainment that costs money, and losses are likely over time.

21+ (18+ where allowed). Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: responsible gambling tools and free help. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).