Fanatics Sportsbook applies for Missouri betting license; untethered licenses to be awarded Aug. 15
Sports betting in Missouri is closer to being live and there's more movement on which sportsbooks will be operating in the state
Sports fans in the state of Missouri will still have to wait a few more months before sports betting goes live on Dec. 1, 2025 but there's been additional movement on which sportsbooks will be operating in the state. On August 5, Fanatics Sportsbook applied for a license to operate in Missouri when sports betting goes live. Fanatics has applied for a tethered license, meaning it will be required to partner with a professional sports team or casino in the state in order to operate. The platform has until Sept. 12 to find a partner.
Fanatics joins a long list of sportsbook operators ready to make their mark in Missouri. BetMGM and bet365 have not officially filed for licenses but have announced partnerships, meaning they'll be in the clear once they file the requisite paperwork. PENN Entertainment is reportedly set to have ESPN Bet retail locations at Argosy Riverside Casino, River City Casino and Hollywood Casino St. Louis. Caesars Sportsbook and Bally Bet have physical casinos present in the state already, so they'll also only need to submit paperwork for sports betting operations. Underdog has applied for a license as well, though it will need to find a partner to work with. All in all, 14 licenses are expected to be issued.
Two of those licenses will be untethered, meaning the holders will not need to partner with a team or casino and therefore does not need to share the operating revenue. DraftKings and FanDuel are expected to land these licenses, but Circa Sportsbook has also applied for an untethered license. That means one platform will miss out and will have to re-assess its options and find a potential partner for a tethered license by the Sept. 12 deadline.
The St. Louis Cardinals already have an agreement with bet365, but there are still plenty of other professional sports teams operators can partner with. The Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City SC, Sporting KC and Kansas City Current are all without a sportsbook partner as of publication.
