Missouri sports betting may not launch until summer.

Introduction

Amendment 2, passed by Missouri voters in November, mandates that sports betting be operational in the state by December 2025. However, Jan Zimmerman, chair of the Missouri Gaming Commission, believes that wagers could be placed much sooner than that.

Implementation Challenges

Zimmerman stated in an interview with KCUR’s Up To Date that there are advantages to Missouri being relatively late to the game when it comes to sports betting. The state can learn from the experiences of other agencies across the country. However, she also mentioned that there are challenges because Missouri is bound by the language of the initiative petition.

Regulatory Process

The first step for the Missouri Gaming Commission is to create regulations for sports betting. These regulations will need approval from the Governor and Secretary of State before the state can begin issuing gambling licenses. There will also be a 30-day public input period to gather feedback on the proposed regulations.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges, Missouri is making progress towards implementing sports betting in the state. Zimmerman and the Missouri Gaming Commission are working diligently to ensure that the process is thorough and compliant with the law. With the expectation of wagers being placed by summer, it seems that Missouri is on track to meet the deadline set by Amendment 2.