After much speculation, the Missouri Gaming Commission announced that the launch of mobile sports betting in the state would take place on December 1, 2025.
Prepare to Launch
The Missouri Gaming Commission recently disclosed that its licensees would need to be vetted thoroughly before the launch of sports betting in the Show Me State. Applications for sports betting licenses opened late last week.
“August 30th is the date for the licensing rules to become effective, but after that, there is still a process for review and background of applicants before licenses can be issued and sports wagering can go live,” the spokesperson said. “The launch date will be Dec. 1st.”
It has been a long, circuitous road to get to this point, as the legislature was unable to bridge an impasse that spurred the professional sports franchises to act. St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III was the galvanizing force behind the political action committee (PAC), Winning for Missouri Education.
The PAC was able to garner the required 180,000 certified signatures from Missouri residents to get the sports betting question on November’s ballot. Ultimately, the referendum was approved by a slight majority of the voters, and the industry will launch in December.
Hoskins Has His Revenge
However, that end-around has not been without a price to pay. Former State Senator and now recently sworn-in Secretary of State Denny Hoskins was a vocal advocate of VLTs (video lottery terminals) and demanded that any sports betting bill be tied to legalizing VLTs in the state. But his fellow lawmakers refused to budge, preferring to separate the two in their own legislative measures.
Blocking Sports Betting, Again
That angered Hoskins, and he became the immovable object that forced the professional sports franchises to take the matter to the voters and circumvent the legislature. Now that Hoskins is the Secretary of State, it was not surprising to see him take one final swat at the industry by delaying it as long as possible.
Hoskins stated afterward, “The standard rulemaking process is more than capable of achieving the desired outcome within the necessary time frame. In fact, under the proper procedure, the proposed rules could be effective by Sept. 30, 2025, well ahead of the December 1 deadline. This confirms that there is no legitimate justification for bypassing the standard rulemaking process, which is designed to give the public the chance to weigh in on decisions that affect them.”
Sponsorship Revenues
Now that sports betting has passed, DeWitt and the owners of the other franchises, like the Royals, Blues, Chiefs, Current, and City FC, can exploit this brand-new revenue stream, which comes via sponsorships with sportsbooks that will pay the teams millions to be aligned with them and able to advertise in their stadiums and on their digital sites.
The Cardinals recently signed a multi-year partnership agreement with bet365, the European bookmaker, gaining traction in the US market.
Excitement from Both Sides
“We are thrilled to welcome bet365 as the club’s official mobile sports betting partner,” said Bill DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals. “This partnership adds a new and exciting element to the fan experience, which can be activated at Busch Stadium or any place that fans watch and follow Cardinals baseball.”
“bet365 is proud to announce our partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball. We are excited to bring a world-class mobile sports betting experience to the Show-Me-State,” a bet365 spokesperson said.
