In Missouri, a “Sports Wagering Update” section is now live online for the latest news on when legal sports betting will begin statewide. The most recent update on the
Missouri Gaming Commission website notes that license applications will become available on May 15 for sports betting companies wanting to operate in Missouri. The update section is under the “What’s New” heading. Last November, voters in Missouri approved a ballot measure to
legalize sports betting statewide, requiring it to begin no later than Dec. 1, 2025. Every state bordering Missouri, except Oklahoma, already has legal sports betting. Once it begins in Missouri, bettors will be able to wager in person at brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and with the use of cellphones and computers anywhere in the state. In the meantime, state officials must first set the rules to govern sports betting and approve the sports betting operators, which are expected to include major brands such as FanDuel, DraftKings and others. According to the latest update on the Gaming Commission website, the commission will review operator applications from May 15 to Aug. 30 before issuing temporary licenses. After that, the issue becomes: When can people bet legally?
Betting Will Be Live For Some NFL Games
In an interview with Gambling.com,
Jan Zimmerman , who chairs the commission, said it is “awfully hopeful” that sports betting will begin legally in Missouri in time for bettors to wager on the World Series in October. Missouri is home to two
Major League Baseball teams, the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Even if the start date extends to Dec. 1, bettors will be able to wager on at least some
NFL regular season games. The NFL has not announced the regular season schedule, but the season usually begins on the first Thursday of September after Labor Day at the home of the Super Bowl champion. That would put the beginning of the season on Sept. 4 in Philadelphia. In last season’s Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. The league's other teams would begin play that weekend. This season’s Super Bowl is scheduled to be played on Feb, 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Missouri also is home to a collegiate football team, the Missouri Tigers, competing in the
Southeastern Conference . The Tigers open at home in Columbia on Aug. 30 against Central Arkansas. The 12-team College Football Playoff games begin Dec. 19, leading to the CFP National Championship showdown on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Will Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce Romance Boost Betting?
Once legal sports wagering kicks off in Missouri, the betting totals could get a boost by the attention focused on singer
Taylor Swift , said
Shannon Lane , a Gambling.com content specialist. Swift is involved in a romantic relationship with Chiefs tight end
Travis Kielce . During a recent episode of Gambling.com’s “The Edge,” Lane said a
“Taylor Swift effect” has shaken up some conventional wisdom about how the NFL operates, who the fans are, “and by extension who the bettors would be.” “At the very least, it’s gotten more eyeballs on football in Missouri and nationwide,” Lane said. Across the country,
sports betting is legal and live in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Missouri will be the 39th state when sports betting goes live there in several months.
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