DraftKings, Circa Sports Receive First Missouri Sports Betting Licenses

• DraftKings and Circa Sports received the first two Missouri sports betting licenses
• The commission awarded the licenses after public presentations by DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports
• Missouri sports betting will launch on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

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It’s a shocker in the Show-Me State, as the Missouri Gaming Commission awarded its first two sports betting licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports.

The commission awarded two untethered online sports betting licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports, choosing the sportsbooks over FanDuel for the coveted untethered licenses. All three sportsbooks pitched their services to the commission earlier this week.

Both DraftKings and Circa Sports will be among the first sportsbooks to launch Missouri sports betting apps on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

First Ever Missouri Sports Betting Licenses

The Missouri Gaming Commission awarded the valuable licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports after declaring the operators best satisfied the following criteria:

• Expertise in the business of online sports betting
• Integrity, sustainability, and safety of the applicant’s online sports betting platform
• Past relevant experience of the applicant
• Advertising and promotional plans to increase and sustain revenue
• Ability to generate, maximize, and sustain revenues for the state
• Demonstrated commitment to and plans for the promotion of responsible gaming

“The commission did its due diligence with the cooperation of the staff to look at each individual applicant. I believe everyone got a fair shake from the information we got from staff and outsiders,” Missouri Gaming Commission member Pat Conway said.

Missouri will be DraftKings 29th operational state.

“We’re please to secure one of two direct mobile licenses in Missouri – paving the way for us to bring DraftKings’ industry-leading online sportsbook to fans across the states,” Matt Kalish, President, DraftKings, said in a release. “Missouri is home to several professional teams and deeply passionate fanbases, and we look forward to enhancing their sports experience with a dynamic and responsible mobile platform.”

Jeffrey Benson, director of operations for Circa Sports, thanked the Missouri Gaming Commission for their decision.

“We are incredibly excited about the state of Missouri and everything it has to offer from a sports betting perspective which is why winning the untethered license and being able to gain market access at favorable rates that align with our model make it such a huge victory. We can now bring ‘sports betting the way it should be’ to all in the great state and operate our low hold and high volume model in a manner which we believe is very helpful to bettors,” he told Sports Betting Dime.

Despite being left out of the initial two licenses, FanDuel reported earlier this week that it will apply for a partnered brick-and-mortar or online sports betting license. The company will be able to partner with either a state casino or professional sports franchise to potentially enter the Missouri sports betting market. Applications for partnered licenses are due on Friday, Sept. 12.

FanDuel does not have any current partnerships with Missouri brick-and-mortar casinos. FanDuel has a branding partnership with Main Street Sports Group, which has a relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals to broadcast games.

“We appreciated the opportunity to present to the Missouri Gaming Commission and respect their decision. We look forward to bringing our leading sportsbook product to Missouri residents,” a FanDuel spokesperson told Sports Betting Dime.

In total, the commission will issue up to 19 retail sports betting licenses and up to 14 online sports betting licenses under the approved framework before it launches sports betting this December.

Remaining Missouri Sports Betting Timeline

Here is the remaining Missouri sports betting schedule:

• Sept. 12: All other partnered retail and online sports betting license applications must be completed
• Dec. 1: Deadline for the launch of Missouri sports betting

So far, Underdog and Fanatics Sportsbook have applied for partnered sports betting licenses. FanDuel will do so as well. The operators have yet to announce their market access partners.