Missouri Gaming Commission hears proposals Wednesday for online betting licenses
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Three companies made their case to the Missouri Gaming Commission on Wednesday for two available mobile sports betting licenses.
DraftKings, FanDuel and Las Vegas-based Circa Hospitality delivered presentations to the commission on Wednesday morning for a “Direct Mobile Sports Wagering License.” If approved, the chosen companies would be allowed to provide online sports betting in Missouri, regardless of where the companies’ headquarters are located.
The commission judged the companies based on current business success, safe sports betting practices and how applicants would promote growth in Missouri.
All of the applicants highlighted how their companies valued safe sports betting, with each application having options for users to set breaks and spending limits. All of the companies also have some presence in Missouri. Residents use both DraftKings’ and FanDuel’s fantasy sports, the latter having 90,000 Missouri users. Circa Hospitality reported having around 81,000 active members from Missouri. Presenters also voiced interest in collaborating with Missouri’s professional teams.
A portion of DraftKings’ presentation focused on its gambling safety practices, including intensive training for customer employees and collaborations with several mental health organizations. The company also said a budget tracker in the app would help users stay aware of how much they are spending.
“We don’t want the players if they’re not playing responsibly, we don’t want them on the app,” Senior Advisor Tim Murphy said. “DraftKings responsible gaming, it’s not a side initiative, it’s part of our product, it’s part of our people, and it’s part of our partnership.”
FanDuel Sports, pushed for the company’s notoriety, had over 90,000 users nationwide in 2024. The company also launched the app in over 20 other states as well as in Canada. The company claimed that when FanDuel launched in North Carolina last March, it exceeded expectations with over 12% of the state placing bets since the launch.
“The fact that there are many Missouri residents who are already interacting with our platform today, we’re confident that we can partner with the state for a highly successful launch,” Rich Cooper, the Vice President, Regulatory at FanDuel said.
Circa Sports admitted to being a smaller company compared to the previous presenters. The company presented examples of its work with sports teams, including the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawks, to fund a youth hockey program, as well as with businesses for promotional events and watch parties.
Circa Sports also advertised its average 3.5% hold of cut on all bets, far lower than other sports betting companies that typically have a hold of around 10%.
“We’re going to attract bankers, lawyers, accountants, people that are currently betting offshore, that are not going to go and bet into a 14 or 16% hold market,” Circa Sports Owner Derek Stevens said. “We provide that unique differentiation.”
Voters narrowly approved sports betting in the state during the November 2024 election. The measure, known as Amendment 2, paved the way for sports betting to come to Missouri, making it the 26th state in the U.S. to allow wagering. The state will tax money made by casinos and sports betting platforms for education.
DraftKings and FanDuel, two of the three companies up for a mobile license, contributed millions of dollars to the campaign to pass it. The state can hand out only two licenses for mobile platforms under Amendment 2’s rules.
The commission plans to make its decision on Friday. Sports betting must launch by Dec. 1.