Share
In two weeks, the Missouri Gaming Commission will announce the recipients of the state’s two direct mobile sports betting licenses.
The announcement will mark the first operator licenses issued in Missouri, kicking off the first significant movement in the state’s sports betting market since voters approved legalization this past November.
DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa at the Starting Line
Missouri sports betting regulations allow the MGC to issue up to two direct mobile licenses. Unlike the state’s other mobile licenses, direct licenses do not require operators to partner with an existing Missouri riverboat casino or professional sports team. The direct or “untethered” licenses give operators the advantage of avoiding any revenue-sharing agreements they would otherwise need if they partnered with a casino or team.
PlayUSA has confirmed with MGC Public Relations Coordinator Elizabeth Hoffman that three sportsbooks are vying for the two direct licenses: DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports. DraftKings and FanDuel are two of the premier sportsbooks in the country, operating in more than 30 states. Together, they typically account for at least 70% of sports betting handle in the states where they operate.
Circa Sports, by comparison, is a smaller operation with a footprint in five states. It generally produces a lower betting handle than bigger names such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars.
Despite facing giants in the U.S. sports betting market, Circa is likely hoping for a breakthrough. Missouri’s 10% sports betting tax rate—nearly half the national average—makes licenses of any kind highly valuable.
OpticOdds Adds Depth to Missouri’s Betting Ecosystem
Sports betting data provider OpticOdds has applied for a sports wagering supplier license. The New York-based company provides data to several well-known platforms, including Underdog Fantasy, PrizePicks, Sleeper and Rotowire.
OpticOdds joins three other suppliers that have already applied for a license: Catalist, GeoComply and Gaming Labs International (GLI).
The Final Stretch: When Licenses Drop and Platforms Go Live
The next two weeks are critical for DraftKings, FanDuel, and Circa Sports. The MGC will hold a hearing on Aug. 13 to allow the three applicants to present before the commission. Then, on Aug. 15, the MGC will announce the recipients of the two direct mobile licenses.
The next major deadline follows on Sept. 12, when all applicants for mobile and retail (brick-and-mortar) sports betting licenses must submit their paperwork in order to be live when sports betting launches in the Show Me State on Dec. 1.
