Online Gambling in Missouri: Quick Facts
- Legal Missouri online gambling options? N/A
- Legal gambling age: 21
- Who regulates Missouri online gambling? N/A
- Legal mobile gambling? No
- Do I need to be physically located in Missouri to gamble online? N/A
- Do I need to be a resident of Missouri to gamble online? N/A
- Sports available to bet on: N/A
A Brief History of Online Gambling in Missouri
Missouri is a state that didn’t allow any legal forms of gambling until 1980. But there are several ways to gamble in the state currently. The state does allow for DFS games to be played online, but that industry does not bring in any revenue for the state. Missouri online gambling in general is not available.
Missouri is a state that hasn’t officially taken a stance on online gambling, even though it is considered illegal. There is nothing in the state constitution prohibiting this type of gambling. However, no operator has made a real attempt to launch.
Sports betting has been the biggest focus over the last few years. That has taken some of the focus away from online gambling in Missouri. Businesses that have video gaming terminals are opposed to online gambling as it will hurt their revenue.
If online sports betting ever becomes legal in Missouri, that will be a good sign for the future of online casino gambling. That is expected to happen soon, but “soon” could still be a year or two away.
Missouri Online Gambling: The Current Law
As mentioned above, there is no current “law” when it comes to online gambling in Missouri. There are no online gambling options, but there isn’t a rule in place to keep this from taking place.
At some point, a law is going to be put in place, and that will determine the future of online gambling. It’s more than likely that the law will favor iGaming as opposed to restricting it completely.
Legal Online Sportsbooks
You won’t find any legal online sportsbooks in Missouri at this time, but that could always change in the near future. It is hard to keep up with recent sports betting legislation in Missouri since there have been so many bills introduced.
Most of the more popular sports betting bills do allow for online sportsbooks, and that would help the state become a large market quickly. Current casino license holders would be given a chance to apply for a sports betting license, but that could extend to stadiums and teams as well.
Until a bill really gains momentum and starts making its way through the state legislature, it’s hard to know what sports betting in Missouri would look like.
Sports Betting in Missouri
Since Missouri is home to St. Louis, this state could become a large sports betting market if this became an option. St. Louis is home to the Blues and the Cardinals, and both teams are extremely popular.
Even though the city no longer has an NFL team, betting on the NFL would become the most popular betting market.
If sports betting did become available in Missouri, here are some of the top betting options that you would find:
Legal Online Casinos
There are 13 commercial casinos located in Missouri, but that is as far as that industry goes. Missouri has done well with its casino industry, but allowing online casino gambling would certainly bring in additional revenue.
Since these casinos are all licensed with the Missouri Gaming Commission, it seems likely that all of them could launch online if a new law was put in place. This would create a pretty competitive environment, and Missouri is a state that would be attractive to online operators.
The Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City is the largest current casino in the state, and it could become an online leader. The Hollywood Casino in St. Louis is another property that has a strong customer base already.
Legal Online Poker
Legal online poker will likely follow online casino gambling, but it could be offered prior. There are two different sets of operators that run these sites, but you will see poker games offered at online casinos.
Most of the large casinos in Missouri have numerous poker rooms available, and this is a popular game to play at the casinos.
How to Set Up a Missouri Online Gambling Account
When Missouri online gambling sites do launch, the first step for you will be signing up for an account. You can create an account on as many sites as you want, and the process will be close to the same at each of them.
It will be necessary to provide these sites with your full name, date of birth, street address, and social security number. You won’t have to live in Missouri to create an account, but you will have to be in the state to gamble there.
You might wonder why these sites need your social security number, but it is solely for the purpose of verifying your identity. Some sites might ask for only the last four digits, but the process is still the same.
Once your information is entered, you will be prompted to create a username and password to use when accessing the site. Please choose a username that is unique and select a password that only you will know, but also one that you remember.
From there, you can log in to the site and make your first payment to get some money in your account. You will find a better description of the banking process in the next section, and you will be pleased with the options that are available to you.
Missouri Banking Methods
The first thing you will need to do when accessing a Missouri online gambling site is to make a payment. You might think that a credit card is the best way to do this, but that is no longer the case.
When Missouri online gambling sites launch, you will find a wide range of deposit options accepted. This is done to provide you with a method that works well with you, and it also makes the process quick and easy.
It’s important to remember that banking at online gambling sites is completely safe, and you will be backed by the Missouri Gaming Commission. Most methods will have the money in your account immediately so that you can start playing the games.
Here are some of the top deposit options you will see at these sites:
- Online bank transfer
- Credit/Debit Card
- ACH/eCheck
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Prepaid Card
- Cash at Casino Cage
Withdrawing winnings from a Missouri online gambling site will likely come with a slight delay, but it won’t be more than a few days. The sites aren’t trying to hold onto your money, but there is a process and some security checks that must be completed.
You also won’t find as many withdrawal options as you would deposit options, but that is just the nature of the banking process. By the time Missouri launches online gambling, the withdrawal process could be improved as well.
The Future of Online Gambling in Missouri
There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future of online gambling in Missouri, but there are still some steps that need to happen. For one, this state is surrounded by other states with online gambling, putting pressure on lawmakers to get something done.
There have also been a number of bills recently introduced to legalize sports betting or expand gambling, and this means that it is already on the minds of lawmakers and will likely lead to change in the near future.
Missouri has a chance to become a large online gambling market, but it first has to be legalized.
