Is Sports Betting Legal In Missouri?

Sports betting is legal in Missouri, but gambling apps such as DraftKings and FanDuel won’t launch until Dec. 1, 2025.

In November 2024, Missouri voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment legalizing online sports betting. Under the new law, the Missouri Gaming Commission is tasked with creating rules and regulations governing the industry.

As of July 2025, Missouri gambling regulators were working on the state’s sports betting regulations and taking license applications from sportsbooks.

This article will examine how Missouri legalized sports betting and the associated risks it poses.

Missouri Sports Betting is Controversial

Missouri has a population of over 6.2 million. Voters approved sports betting by the narrowest margins.

Fewer than 3,000 votes decided legalizing sports betting in Missouri.

• Yes: 1,478,652 (50.05%)
• No: 1,475,691 (49.95%)

According to Ballotpedia, the ballot question generated $52.7 million in total expenditures, with proponents far outspending opponents.

Supporters of legalizing sports betting in Missouri spent $43.4 million. Opponents used $9.3 million to try to defeat the proposed amendment.

BetFAIR Interactive US (FanDuel) and DK Crown Holdings Inc. (DraftKings) each spent $20.275 million to back the legalization effort.

The Kansas City Chiefs spent over $330,000 to get sports betting legalized.

Opposition was largely funded by competing gambling interests, including brick-and-mortar casinos that opposed the amendment.

Related: Missourians Should Reject Sports Betting, Policy Expert Says

Legal Sports Gambling Age in Missouri

In Missouri, the legal age for sports betting is 21. 

Under Amendment 2, passed by voters in November  2024, anyone 21 or older and physically located in Missouri will be eligible to place both retail (in-person) and mobile bets once sports betting officially launches in the state.

Missouri’s gambling age varies depending on the type of gambling.

You can play the lottery and gamble on horse races at just 18. Meanwhile, you must be 21 to use riverboat and land‑based casinos, daily fantasy sports, and sports betting platforms.

Proponents of a legal sports betting age of 21 argue it can curb problem gambling.

While it’s true that young people are more vulnerable to sports betting addiction, let’s examine why the legal age isn’t nearly enough to prevent massive harm.

Societal Costs of MO Sports Betting

Missouri can expect to face significant societal problems from legalizing online sports betting.

A 2024 study from UCLA found that states experienced the following due to sports betting:

• An 8% increase in the average amount of debt in collections per consumer 
• A 28% increase in bankruptcy filing likelihood

There was also a threefold decrease in credit scores in online betting states compared to states with only retail sports betting (brick-and-mortar casinos).

A University of Oregon study from 2024 found that sports betting legalization increases domestic violence rates.

Sports Betting Addiction in Missouri

Missouri is surrounded by states with legal sports betting, such as Nebraska. Only one of the eight states bordering Missouri does not have sports gambling.

Missourians also have been able to access offshore online sportsbooks, such as those based in Curacao. Offshore betting sites allow minors to gamble.

Sports betting among residents is widespread. But it will become even more normalized and widespread following the launch of Missouri-sanctioned betting apps.

The 2022 Missouri Gambling Prevalence Study found that about 4% of Missouri adults (roughly 200,000 individuals) met the clinical criteria for a gambling disorder. 

An additional 21% (around one million people) are at risk of gambling disorder.

More than a quarter of Missouri adults are struggling with problem gambling.

Betting addiction statistics show sportsbooks to be among the most problematic forms of gambling. A 2025 survey from Siena College Research Institute found that over half of online sports bettors have chased losses.

MO Gambling Addiction Help

If you are experiencing gambling problems, call the Missouri-specific 24/7/365 crisis hotline 888-BETS-OFF (888-238-7633) or email freehelp@888betsoff.org.

Through the Missouri Division of Behavioral Health, residents and immediate family members can get free, outpatient treatment with certified counselors across the state.

Missouri gambling addiction treatment is available if you are a loved one needs help.

To find providers, you can:

• Visit the DMH website under “Compulsive Gambling and Treatment Services”
• Call (573) 751‑4942 or (800) 575‑7480 for assistance locating a provider 

You can also self-exclude from gambling in Missouri.