Missouri Sports Betting Launch Delayed Until Fall 2025

Missouri’s plan to launch legal sports betting this summer has been delayed after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected an emergency rulemaking request filed by the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC). The decision, announced on February 21, means that regulators must follow the standard rulemaking process, effectively pushing the anticipated June launch to late summer or fall 2025.

Hoskins stated that the proposed emergency rules, which were submitted to Governor Mike Kehoe on January 27, did not meet the legal requirements for emergency approval.

Under Missouri law, emergency rulemaking can only be granted if there is “immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare” or if the rule is necessary to “preserve a compelling governmental interest that requires an early effective date.” Hoskins determined that sports betting regulations did not meet these conditions, meaning they must proceed through the standard rulemaking process, which includes a public input period.

The MGC had initially targeted June 2025 as the market’s launch date, despite the state’s legal deadline requiring that wagering begin no later than December 1, 2025. Following Hoskins’ rejection, the MGC confirmed that its proposed licensing rules, which were filed alongside the emergency request, will become effective on August 30, 2025.