As Missouri inches closer to the official rollout of its sports betting landscape, the race for the two lucrative mobile sports betting licenses is heating up, with big-name contenders like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Circa Sports duking it out for the state's favor. Commission members, weighed down by a myriad of factors ranging from integrity in business to a capacity for generating state revenue have the herculean task of announcing the chosen two tomorrow, as detailed by Fox2Now.
Wrapped up in the throes of competition and dangling a carrot in the form of potential tax revenue, FanDuel and DraftKings, having already shelled out millions in campaigning for the legal battle that culminated with voters passing Amendment 2, are poised to claim their stake, while newcomer Circa Sports markets itself as the go-to for high-rollers and professionals, however, this three-way tussle overshadows a stark financial reality for the state, which is facing a budget shortfall and a potentially tiny boost from betting tax income, "It could be really next to nothing in the end. And when you take it into the context of a budget shortfall, it’s going to do nothing to make up the gap,” Traci Gleason with the nonpartisan Missouri Budget Project told First Alert 4.
The deadline for mobile and retail license applications is set for September 12, a crucial step in meeting the December 1 target launch date; notable players like Fanatics and Underdog will have to form partnerships with local casinos or sports teams if they miss out on the untethered licenses, interprets a rule under Missouri Revised Statutes, Chapter 313 highlighted by Deadspin.
Missouri is set to become the 26th state to legalize sports betting, joining others in the region that already allow it. The launch will coincide with the holiday season and major sporting events, with betting options available through mobile apps and casino kiosks.
