Missouri voters approved sports betting via ballot measure, and the market went live in December 2025 with all major operators accepting wagers. The Missouri Gaming Commission serves as the regulatory authority, giving bettors the same consumer protections — deposit limits, self-exclusion enrollment, and licensed dispute channels — that bettors in longer-established states have relied on for years. For context on just how large this national market has grown, Americans legally wagered $147.91 billion on sports in 2024, a 23.6% increase from the prior year, and Missouri is now part of that expanding footprint.

One structural detail separates Missouri from most other states: DraftKings and Circa Sports each hold an untethered online license, meaning they operate independently of any brick-and-mortar casino or pro sports venue. Every other operator active in Missouri must work through a tethered partnership with a casino or qualifying venue. In practical terms, an untethered license gives DraftKings and Circa greater flexibility in how they structure promotions and manage their Missouri-specific odds markets, since they are not splitting revenue obligations with a land-based partner in the same way tethered books are.

Which sportsbooks are live in Missouri?

All major operators launched alongside the December 2025 market opening. The table below compares the key structural attributes of the leading Missouri-available books based on sourced information.

Sportsbook License Type in Missouri Accepts PayPal Minimum Age Bonus Bet Stake Returned on Win?
DraftKings Untethered Yes 21+ No — profit only
Circa Sports Untethered Not confirmed 21+ No — profit only
FanDuel Tethered (venue partner) Yes 21+ No — profit only
BetMGM Tethered (casino partner) Yes 21+ No — profit only

What does DraftKings' untethered license actually mean for Missouri bettors?

A tethered sportsbook ties its Missouri operating authority to a specific casino or pro sports venue, which can create geographic and promotional constraints. DraftKings, holding one of only two untethered licenses alongside Circa Sports, can structure its Missouri product without those partnership dependencies. For a bettor who primarily uses the DraftKings app for same-game parlays on Chiefs or Cardinals games, the distinction may be mostly invisible day to day — but it can matter when operators roll out state-specific promotions, since untethered books are not sharing a revenue arrangement with a venue partner. See the full DraftKings Sportsbook Review: Is It Worth Signing Up in 2026? for a deeper breakdown of the platform's odds markets, app performance, and bonus structure.

Are Missouri sportsbook bonuses worth claiming?

Welcome bonuses across Missouri operators follow the industry-standard formats: bet credits, deposit matches, and second-chance bets. A critical detail that new Missouri bettors frequently overlook is that bonus bets do not return the stake on a winning wager — only the profit is paid out. That means a $100 bonus bet placed on a -110 line returns roughly $90.91 in profit if it wins, not $190.91. Wagering requirements range from 5x to 25x industry-wide, and playthrough windows are typically 14 or 30 days, after which unused bonus funds are forfeited. Missouri's legality is new, so always verify that current operator terms specifically list Missouri as a qualifying state before depositing. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

How does Missouri compare to states that still lack online betting?

Missouri's launch stands in sharp contrast to neighboring and regional states where online wagering remains unavailable. Nebraska, for example, legalized retail sports betting in 2021 but has not extended that to mobile apps, with a constitutional amendment on online betting scheduled for public vote in November 2026. For a full rundown of where mobile betting is still off the table, see States Without Legal Online Sports Betting in 2026. Questions about whether a specific state's status has changed since Missouri's launch are addressed in detail at Online Sports Betting Legality: Your State-by-State Questions Answered.

Missouri bettors comparing their new options against the broader national market should consult the Best Online Sportsbooks in the USA — 2026 Rankings for a side-by-side look at how Missouri-available books stack up on odds quality, payout speed, and app reliability across all legal states.