Missouri Online Sports Betting

Missouri is an example of what ‘average’ America looks like, with an interesting mix of cultures, races and ideologies. In that framework, Missouri may follow what happens across the United States as the winds of change of legal sports betting sweeps across the nation driven by the success of NJ sports betting sites. Sports betting legalization bills have already been under discussion in Missouri.

In that scenario, we expect Missouri to return to its permissive gambling past of the late 19th century and soon become yet another state with a full legalized sports betting industry (online and land-based) for its citizens to enjoy to complement its Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), legal casinos, horse racing, poker, lottery and charitable gaming.

Missouri residents and visitors currently do not have betting on sports as a legal option, however, that could all change soon.

Eventually, Missouri is looking increasingly likely to legalize sports betting. Two sports betting bills appeared within a month of-one-another during 2018. Firstly in January 2018, Bill SB 767 was introduced and later, SB 1013. Both legislative documents were contingent on the federal law changing to allow sports betting, which it did.

The bills covered-off on the feasibility of introducing sports betting to the state’s land-based casinos, online sports betting and the level of sports betting taxes. The taxes (termed an ‘integrity’ fee – 1% applied to the total betting action and paid back to the pro sports leagues) are the most controversial and may require some debate and negotiation to pass the State Legislature.

The 1% in real-everyday-terms is more like a 20% tax on casinos and would make sportsbooks untenable. Watch-this-space for an outcome of the State debate on the administration of sports betting in Missouri as the matter is expected to be debated soon in the State Legislature.

Updates to those twin bills came in 2019, firstly with SB 44 proposing the controversial integrity fee dropped to only 0.5%, however along with it a debilitating tax of 12% for operators. However, the latest and most likely to succeed (or something like) it is SB 222 which allows for no integrity fee at all and a tax rate of a more realistic 6.75%.

The economic downturn related to the global pandemic may yet push legal sports betting over the line in 2021 for Missouri. Three separate sports betting bills, SB 18, SB 217 and SB 256 are set for debate in the Missouri Senate in 2021, with all 3 squarely aimed at repairing the state’s budget hole.

Watch this space for an outcome of the Missouri State debate on the administration of sports betting and most of all, how the state’s lawmakers will eventually make sports wagering fair and equitable of all stakeholders in Missouri – operators and players alike.

In Missouri, sports betting online is illegal as it is currently unlicensed and unregulated in the state. Until the topic has been debated by the state’s legislators, Section 527.020 of the Missouri Revised Statutes states clearly and concisely that it is a Class C misdemeanor to participate in gambling as a player outside of licensed facilities.

Legal sports betting online is anticipated to be debated by the Missouri State Legislature when it reconvenes for the 2021 legislative session.

Meantime, online DFS is all perfectly legal for visitors and residents and visitors in Missouri until the legislators give the legal green light for loyal fans to place a legal wager on the Royals or the Chiefs.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) competitions are understood and interpreted by U.S. Federal Laws not to be games of chance, and conversely, considered to games of skill and knowledge. Therefore, at the Federal level of government, DFS competitions ARE NOT considered to be gambling. Federal lawmakers have encouraged each state to seek their own position on the legality of DFS competitions.

In 2016, Missouri’s legislators did precisely that. Agreeing with the Federal position that DFS competitions are not considered to be gambling, Missouri passed into law on June 10 2016, Bill HB 1941 to expressly authorize and regulate DFS as legal. Subsequently, all major DFS sites accept players from Missouri for their real money betting competitions.

Once sports betting lands in fully-legalized Missouri sportsbooks, wagering on eSports will appeal to a new breed and generation of gamblers who are looking for contemporary transparent sports betting options untarnished by the less glorious days of the illegal past.

eSports – What is it?

eSports (also called competitive gaming) is an emerging genre of entertainment where professional gamers play video games against each other on computers or consoles in front of a live or online audience. They are a big deal that has developed from a once underground gaming community to become a mainstream sport, now growing at a never-before-seen rate. Globally, players compete in tournaments offering prize pools worth up to millions of dollars. Many of these team-based competitions attract enormous global audiences, both live and online through vastly improved live video streaming technology.

The betting interest in eSports is increasing daily, directed related to the amount of prize money on offer in the tournaments. Many international sportsbooks now offer markets on the major competitive global eSports tournaments.

Dota 2, Legend of Legends and Fortnite, are some of the most popular games, and big pro teams are battling it out for glory as gamblers around the world (and in 2019 in Missouri?) cash in on the betting action.

In a triumph for legislation over common sense, ironically, betting at live horse racing tracks is legal in Missouri, however, the state isn’t home to any live tracks. Horse Racing Betting in Missouri was legalized in 1984, however, few available simulcast betting options saw the live tracks struggling to attract an audience and a profit, and the last of Missouri live horse racing tracks saw action in the early 1990’s.

Trackside

Horse Racing is legal in Missouri; however, no tracks have operated since the 1990’s.

Off Track Betting (OTB) in Missouri

Off-track betting is also legal, but only permitted on live race days, where and when there is a live race.

Online Horse Racing in Missouri

Similarly, online betting on horse racing is also legal, but also must only take place on live racing days in Missouri.

The end result means, that although all forms of horse racing betting are technically legal in Missouri, there is no legal avenue to bet on a horse race in Missouri.

We will advise if there are any updates on the topic forthcoming from the almost defunct Missouri Horse Racing Commission as they come to hand.

Visit our page for Missouri’s Online Gambling Laws to find our list of the best online casino reviews for the state