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While the wait for legalized sports betting in Missouri has dragged on longer than some anticipated, the finish line is near.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) is now accepting applications for sports betting licenses, setting the stage for a Dec. 1 launch — a little more than a year after voters OK’d sports betting.

Regulators had hoped to launch this summer but faced resistance from lawmakers such as Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who rejected a series of emergency licensing rules aimed at expediting the process in February.

The application deadline for untethered online sportsbooks is July 15, while all other applications must be submitted by Sept. 12. Operators can either apply independently or partner with one of Missouri’s six professional sports teams — Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), Kansas City Royals (MLB), St. Louis Blues (NHL), St. Louis SC (MLS), Kansas City Current (NWSL) — or 13 retail casinos.

The fee for a physical sportsbook license is $250,000, while mobile licensing will cost $500,000. A 10% tax will be imposed on gross revenue, with proceeds benefiting K-12 public education and gambling addiction programs.

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When Missouri finally launches sports betting, it will be the first new entrant since North Carolina in March 2024 and the 39th state overall. It’s a long time coming for residents of the Show Me State, who narrowly approved Amendment 2 during the November 2024 election. The measure, which amended the state constitution to allow retail and online sports betting for individuals 21 and older, passed by fewer than 3,000 votes.

Organizations such as the Sports Betting Alliance celebrated the approval, with President Jeremy Kudon releasing a statement calling it a “huge victory for Missouri fans.”

According to a report by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, it could generate up to $560 million annually, making it a potentially huge revenue driver.

“We’ve been working on this for years,” Kansas City Councilman Wes Rogers said via KSHB 41 Kansas City. “The state needs the tax revenue. We’re about to benefit from that, especially, as we’ve talked about for years, with Kansas and Illinois already (launching legal sports betting). They’re taking a lot of revenue from us, so I’m looking forward to keeping that home.”

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In addition to Hoskins, the commission also received pushback from Caesars Entertainment, which contributed $4 million last September to a newly formed committee called Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment.

While Caesars operates three retail casinos in Missouri — Isle of Capri in Boonville, Horseshoe St. Louis, and Harrah’s Kansas City — it opposed changes to the bill’s language.

Despite that, Caesars is widely expected to apply for an operating license along with FanDuel and DraftKings, which already both provide daily fantasy sports (DFS) to Missouri residents. Bet365, which inked a sports betting deal with the Cardinals in March, is also expected to apply.