Missouri sports betting enthusiasts hoping to place wagers on Super Bowl LIX will need to exercise patience or cross state lines, as the Show-Me State’s newly legalized betting market won’t be operational in time for the big game.
Despite voter approval in November’s election, the rollout of legal sports betting in Missouri is taking longer than many fans anticipated. The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) is targeting a late summer launch for two mobile gambling platforms, leaving bettors to look elsewhere for now.
Neighboring States Benefit as Missouri Prepares 35273w
While Missouri works on implementation, neighboring states like Kansas, which legalized sports betting in 2022, continue to benefit from cross-border traffic. Khalil Booshehri, a staff member at The Peanut restaurant near the Kansas-Missouri border, notes the inconvenience for patrons:
“You’re comfortable, and you have to leave, and you have to come back. It’s just a wrench in their visit,” Booshehri explained.
The commission is currently conducting background checks and reviewing applications from casinos and other potential licensees. While they hope to activate legal wagering by late June, regulations allow until December for full implementation.
Jan Zimmerman, chair of the MGC, emphasizes the complexity of the process: “It’s not a quick process, not only for sports betting, but for any license process we do with casinos or other individuals. It just takes a while to get it done.”
Interestingly, Missouri plans to approve only two sports gambling platforms initially, though it’s yet to be determined which ones will receive the green light.
As Missouri bettors eagerly await their state’s entry into the legal sports betting market, they’ll need to continue crossing borders or wait until late summer to place their bets at home.
