Online Gambling License in Missouri
The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) is the regulatory body overseeing and controlling all legal gambling activities in the state. The agency supervises and regulates riverboat casinos, daily fantasy sports platforms, and charitable gambling.
The Commission is responsible for issuing licenses to businesses and individuals, collecting taxes, and enforcing laws regulating the state’s gambling market. Both charitable and commercial gambling are allowed in Missouri, so the Commission’s responsibility is to control both forms of gambling entertainment.
As a result, the MGC is tasked with controlling and supervising all licensed gambling establishments in the state, and individuals allowed to organize any such event. While doing so, the Commission ensures it enforces regulations fairly and professionally, thus protecting both businesses and the interests of the public.
Besides implementing the laws and gambling regulations, the MGC also investigates all licensees to check if they adhere to or violate the rules. If they discover any infringement, the Commission can take disciplinary actions against those breaking the law. If necessary, the Commission can also seek criminal prosecution for businesses or individuals not complying with the rules.
The Commission compliance audit staff has two special teams in Kansas City and the St. Louis offices. They are responsible for conducting regular audits at all licensed casinos in the state. At the same time, the Electronic Gaming Device (EGD) team supervises and tests slot machines to check if they meet the highest industry standards.
To conclude, the Missouri Gaming Commission is the state agency that governs legal gambling operations in the Show-Me State, ensuring that these activities are conducted transparently and lawfully.
Types of Gambling Regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission
Players from Missouri have already inferred from what we have said above that there are several forms of gambling activities they can indulge in the Mother of the West. We will zero in on every one of them to provide the necessary details and explanations.
However, it’s worth noting that online casino gambling is still not authorized, but online sports betting is on the horizon. Keep reading to learn the details.
Riverboat Casinos
In-person casino gambling in Missouri is permitted and regulated under the Riverboat Gambling Act and Regulations. The riverboat casinos are located along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
The state has six approved casino operators: Bally’s Corporation, Affinity Interactive, Caesars Entertainment, Inc., Boyd Gaming Corporation, Century Casinos, Inc., and PENN Entertainment, Inc. These operators run 13 casinos.
Here is the entire list of casino establishments in the state per operator:
- PENN Entertainment, Inc.
- Argosy Riverside Casino
- River City Casino
- Hollywood Casino St. Louis
- Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
- Harrah’s Kansas City
- Isle of Capri Casino, Boonville
- Horseshoe St. Louis
- Century Casinos, Inc.
- Century Casino Cape Girardeau
- Century Casino Caruthersville
- Bally’s Corporation
- Bally’s Kansas City Casino
- Boyd Gaming Corporation
- Ameristar Casino Kansas City
- Ameristar Casino St. Charles
- Affinity Interactive
- St. Jo Frontier Casino
- Mark Twain Casino
Approved games you can play at these casinos include slot machines and different versions of blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, roulette, keno, and sic-bo. Some of the licensed game suppliers include Ainsworth, Galaxy Gaming, Aristocrat, Everi, Genesis, IGT, and Konami.
Lottery
The Missouri Lottery Commission is in charge of regulating the Missouri Lottery, which was founded in 1985. Since 1994, the proceeds have been used to support and fund public education programs.
You can buy tickets for Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Lotto, Show Me Cash, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Club Keno. You can also get pull-tab tickets, scratch cards, and play Missouri Lottery Scratchers.
Join the free My Lottery Players Club to win more prizes and benefits.
To be able to purchase Missouri Lottery tickets, you must be at least 18 years old.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Unlike so many US states where fantasy sports competitions are neither legal nor illegal, Missouri has a regulated Daily Fantasy Sports Market thanks to the Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act from 2016.
As a result, you can compete in many fantasy sports games offered by many reputable DFS operators. We’ll list all of the operators with a valid license issued by the Missouri Gaming Commission:
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- RealTime Fantasy Sports Inc.
- FastDraft
- FFPC, LLC
- SidePrize, LLC
- OwnersBox 3.0 Corporation
- SportsHub Regulatory, LLC
- Yahoo Fantasy Sports, LLC
- Underdog Sports Inc.
- Two Nine Sports Inc. dba StatHero
Sports Betting
In November 2024, voters in the state of Missouri approved Amendment 2, which allows retail and mobile sportsbooks. The first authorized sportsbook is expected to start accepting wagers no later than 1st December 2025.
The decision was made in order to create a well-regulated sports wagering industry that will provide tax revenue to fund and support education in the state.
The Amendment also states that any operator who gets a license from the Commission can offer sports betting services to bettors from Missouri via online sportsbook, at gambling boats, or at a location within a sports district authorized by a professional sports team using that location.
The minimum legal age for participating in sports betting is 21.
Charitable Games
The MGC is also in charge of supervising state charitable gaming events organized by nonprofits. The main form of charitable games is bingo, but raffles are also allowed.
The MGC-authorized bingo manufacturers in the state are Everi Games Inc., Arrow International Inc., and Pollard Games, Inc. At the same time, the licensed bingo supplier is All American Bingo, LLC.
If you are a fan of bingo games, you can find the list of all bingo events near you on the Commission’s official website (Find Local Bingo Events).
The Missouri Gaming Commission Regulatory Framework
The 87th General Assembly founded the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) in 1993. Chapter 313 RSMo (Revised Statutes of Missouri) established the Commission. Initially, the MGC regulated and oversaw excursion gambling boats.
In 1994, the Commission expanded its role to include charitable gambling, creating the Charitable Games Division. This division ensures the integrity of charitable gaming and regulates games like bingo and raffles.
In 2016, the Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act was enacted, bringing Daily Fantasy Sports under the MGC’s supervision. The MGC issues licenses and oversees DFS operators to ensure compliance with the law.
Finally, the MGC has the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Gaming Division, which conducts all criminal and other relevant investigations. This Division has three separate themes: Administrative Services, Investigations, and Enforcement. The Enforcement Unit is in charge of enforcing Missouri criminal statutes and Missouri Gaming Commission rules on casino properties with valid gambling licenses.
FAQs about the Missouri Gaming Commission
The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) is the state agency responsible for regulating all legal gambling activities in Missouri, including casinos, daily fantasy sports, charitable games, and sports betting.
The MGC oversees riverboat casinos, daily fantasy sports, charitable gambling (like bingo and raffles), and, as of 2024, sports betting.
The MGC enforces state gambling laws, issues licenses to operators, conducts audits, and investigates violations. It ensures compliance through audits and disciplinary actions, including criminal prosecution if necessary.
The legal age for most forms of gambling in Missouri is 21, except for the Missouri Lottery, which requires players to be at least 18 years old.
Missouri does not allow online casino gambling, but it will regulate online sports betting starting in 2025.
