Missouri is stepping up its processes for legal sports betting ahead of a constitutionally enshrined December 1 deadline for the vertical to go live.
The Missouri Gaming Commission posted an update on its website stating that the sports betting application process will open on May 15.
licensing rules scheduled to become effective Aug. 30”
“Our licensing rules are scheduled to become effective Aug. 30, so this interim period from May 15 to Aug. 30 will help ensure that the commission has time to properly review applications before decisions are made and temporary licenses are issued,” the gambling regulator stated.
While the MGC tried to roll out the licensing process earlier this year, its move was blocked by Secretary of State Denny Hoskins back in February.
The MGC’s latest announcement, however, at least gives sportsbooks a three-month application window, with the state’s official licensing rules only coming into effect August 30.
According to Daily Racing Form, ESPN Bet and Bet365 are the first sportsbooks to announce plans to apply for Missouri licenses. The latter inked a deal with the MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals in March to become the franchise’s first-ever official mobile sports betting partner.
ESPN Bet parent Penn Entertainment in a May 8 earnings call shared its expectation that its mobile app will launch this fall, giving weight to the belief the legal market will launch well ahead of December.
