Is Online Gambling Legal In Missouri

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  1. Within a week, New Jersey became the third state to legalize online gambling, authorizing the issue of both online poker and online casino licenses to casinos in Atlantic City. In April 2013, the first legal online gambling site in the United States went live in Nevada.
  2. Some sites, like TVG, do not accept players from Alabama, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin (as well as the other nine states listed above). Now here are the states where it appears that internet horse race betting is legal and where licensed sites, (based in the United States), are currently accepting players.

Missouri didn’t feature any legal forms of gambling until the mid1980s. But
despite their late start, Missouri now offers over a dozen riverboat casinos and
multiple other forms of gambling.

This includes charitable gambling, daily fantasy sports (DFS), horseracing,
poker, and social gambling.

The inclusion of DFS is promising because it’s a form of internet gambling.
But how favorably does Missouri look upon online casinos, poker rooms, and
sports betting sites?

This is one of the biggest questions that we’ll answer while covering
Missouri’s gambling sites and the Missouri gambling laws.

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Online Gambling and Missouri Law

Missouri falls in line with many American states in that they’ve haven’t made
an official ruling on internet gambling.

This puts Missouri in a grey area with regard to online gaming. Moreover,
lots of offshore operators serve the Show-Me State.

But is it legal for these offshore casinos and poker sites to serve
Missourians?

Can You Gamble Online In Missouri

Let’s answer this below and discuss whether or not you risk legal action by
gambling online in this state.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Missouri?

Missouri is, at this moment, one of the states less likely to surprise the gambling community with the issuing of a Missouri online gambling laws, in favour of expanding this phenomenon in the online area. The first argument comes after analyzing one of the main definitions about what gambling means for Missouri, which, although it doesn’t.

No.

While Missouri doesn’t come right out and ban internet gambling, they have
legal language that could make iGaming illegal.

First off, section 572.010 (4) of Missouri’s criminal code provides a
definition of what constitutes gambling:

“When he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of
chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an
agreement or understanding that he will receive something of value in the event
of a certain outcome.”

The following excerpt from code 572.030.1 (1) could be used against offshore
operators:

“Setting up and operating a gambling device to the extent that more than one
hundred dollars of money is gambled upon or by means of the device in any one
day, or setting up and operating any slot machine.”

Again, the Show-Me State doesn’t have direct language that bans internet
gambling.

But the above laws are broad and imposing enough that one can assume online
gaming is illegal here.

Will I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Missouri?

Assuming that the laws described above make internet gambling illegal in
Missouri, then it’s possible that you could be arrested.

The state constitution offers an unforgiving rule on illegal gambling in code
572.020 (1):

“A person commits the crime of gambling if he knowingly engages in gambling.”

You definitely don’t want to get arrested for being a “professional player,”
which is a class D felony. Here’s the definition of a pro gambler from code
572.010 (9):

“… means a player who engages in gambling for a livelihood or who has derived
at least twenty percent of his income in any one year within the past five years
from acting solely as a player.”

Obviously these are alarming laws. In fact, they might scare you away from
trying to be a poker pro or any other type of professional gambler.

But the key to remember is that Missouri has never arrested anybody for the
simple act of gambling online.

Even if their constitution leans towards internet gambling being illegal, the
precedence over the 2+ decades of iGaming’s existence show that you have very
little chance of being busted.

Will Missouri Legalize Internet Gambling?

Sooner or later, it’s a good bet that every state will legalize online
gaming. But odds are that Missouri won’t be one of the earliest ones.

For starters, Missiouri hasn’t made any serious efforts to regulate the
activity. Beyond daily fantasy sports, the Show-Me State has been dormant on
iGaming talks.

Another damning point is that former Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster
released the following statement about offshore gaming sites:

“Don’t be fooled by assurances from internet gambling operators that it is
legal to play online in Missouri. It is illegal for out of state gambling
operators to offer internet gambling to Missouri residents.”

While Koster’s statement doesn’t reflect the entire State Legislature, it’s
important because he served up until 2017. And we have yet to hear anything
contradicting Koster’s statement and offering support for iGaming.

Is it Safe to Play at Offshore Gambling Sites?

Missouri may not have the friendliest laws towards online gambling. But this
still doesn’t keep offshore companies from operating in their state.

You’ll have access to a wide range of internet casinos, poker rooms, and
sportsbooks in Missouri. Of course, just because these sites are available
doesn’t mean they’re safe.

The biggest problem is that these companies aren’t licensed in the US.
Instead, they’re licensed in offshore jurisdictions that don’t adhere to
American laws.

Here are a few examples of online licensing jurisdictions that serve the US:

  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Costa Rica
  • Curacao
  • Kahnawake Gaming Commission
  • Panama

The standards for licensing requirements and oversight vary based on the
jurisdiction. Here are a couple of examples:

  • The Kahnawake Gaming Commission has moderately tough licensing
    standards and provides some oversight.
  • Panama has light licensing requirements and does little to nothing to
    solve customer disputes with operators.

Ultimately, it’s up to the site itself to act responsibly and serve their
players well. Going further, you can find safe offshore sites by doing some
research.

How do I Pick the Best Online Casinos?

Below are some tips for finding the best iGaming sites:

  • Read Several Reviews
  • The best place to begin your search for a top-quality gaming site is by reading
    reviews. Exercise your best judgement when checking out reviews to make sure
    that they’re non-biased.

  • Research Customer Complaints
  • What are other players saying about a particular gaming site? No
    online casino or poker room will make every player happy. But if you see
    repeated complaints about the same topic, you know to stay clear.

  • Look at Bonus Terms & Conditions
  • The amount of money you must wager to cash out your bonus varies
    from site to site. If this info isn’t covered in the reviews you’re reading,
    visit the site directly and see what’s required to earn your bonus.

  • Check Out the Games
  • The more variety you have, the more entertained you’ll be long term. That said,
    check the games section at a casino or poker site to see their selection.

  • Try Games Out for Free
  • You can take things a step further by playing games for free at the site you’re
    interested in. You may need to sign up for an account to play, but the good news
    is that it’s free to do so.

  • Deposit Methods
  • Offshore gaming sites don’t always have a lot of deposit options. Visit their
    cashier/banking section to see what’s on tap so you can play.

Also On This Page

Is online gambling legal in missouri government
More Gambling Laws in Missouri
Gambling Venues in Missouri
The History of Gaming Laws in Missouri
Missouri Gambling FAQs
Additional Recources
The Future of Gambling in Missouri

More Gambling Laws in Missouri

  • Casino Games (Legal)
  • Sports Betting (Illegal)
  • Poker (Legal)
  • Racing Betting (Legal)
  • Lottery (Legal)
  • Bingo (Legal)
  • Charitable Gaming (Legal)
  • Social Gambling (Illegal)

Casinos: Legal

Missouri voters approved brick-and-mortar casinos through a referendum in
1992. The original legislation had harsh stipulations on casino gambling, which
you can see below:

  • Only Riverboat casinos are
    allowed.
  • Casino trips limited to
    2-hour cruises.
  • Players limited to $500 in
    losses per trip.
  • Alcohol can’t be offered as
    a comp.

The 2 hour cruise rule was eliminated just four years later through a 1996
amendment.

But the $500 loss limit remained in effect until 2008. Once the $500 limit
was lifted, it helped Missouri’s gambling industry flourish.

The Show-Me State has 13 casinos that offer a combined 19,200 gaming machines
and 460 table games. You can make bets as low as one cent and as high as $5,000
(thanks to 2008 amendment).

Missouri’s largest casino is Kansas City’s Ameristar Casino Hotel, which
features 2,600 gaming machines and 60 table games. St. Charles Ameristar is
almost the exact same size, with just under 2,600 machines and 60 table games.

It’s worth adding that Missouri doesn’t have any federally recognized tribes,
meaning you won’t find tribal casinos here.

Charitable Gambling: Legal

Charity gambling is legal in the Show-Me State, but there are stipulations
that must be followed. Here are the main standards that charity gaming
organizers must meet:

  • Only one charity fundraiser
    per week.
  • Be an approved and licensed
    charity (i.e. charitable, fraternal, religious, service, veteran).
  • No more than 62 rounds per
    charity gambling session.
  • Hosting members must have
    been in organization for over 2 years.
  • No member can have a felony
    on their record.
  • All proceeds go to
    designated cause.

This puts a lot of red tape around the state’s charity gambling. But plenty
of charities have participated in these licensed fundraisers.

In fact, charity bingo alone has sent over $100 million to Missouri’s
educational fund since its inception.

Lottery: Legal

Legalized in 1984, the Missouri Lottery offers a variety of games to players
aged 18 and older. Games offered by the lottery include:

  • Check My Tickets
  • Club Keno
  • Lotto
  • Lucky for Life
  • Mega Millions
  • Pick 3
  • Pick 4
  • Powerball
  • Show Me Cash

Poker: Legal

Missouri features over 100 poker tables throughout the state.

Hollywood Casino St. Louis has the largest poker room with 20 tables.
Ameristar has the second-biggest poker room with 19 tables.

Racing: Legal

Pari-mutuel betting was approved in Missouri in 1984. But laws limit bettors
to simulcast wagering on certain days.

This makes Missouri one of the most-restrictive states when it comes to
pari-mutuel betting.

Social Gambling: Illegal

Another aspect that muddles Missouri’s gambling laws is that of social
gaming.

Based on definitions we covered in the Online Gambling section, it seems like
social gaming would be illegal. After all, we don’t see any exemptions made for
“social” or “private” gambling in the criminal code.

On the other hand, Missouri’s constitution exempts a “player” from several
instances. Also, section 572.010 (8) offers the following excerpt:

“A person who gambles at a social game of chance on equal terms with the
other participants therein does not otherwise render material assistance to the
establishment, conduct or operation thereof by performing, without fee or
remuneration, acts directed toward the arrangement or facilitation of the game,
such as inviting persons to play, permitting the use of premises therefor and
supplying cards or other equipment used therein.”

This suggests that social gaming is legal as long as the host isn’t profiting
from a house edge, rake, or selling food/liquor.

Gambling Venues in Missouri

As covered before, Missouri has 13 riverboat casinos. The largest ones
include Ameristar Kansas City, Ameristar St. Charles Casino, and Harrah’s
Casino.

Just like neighboring Illinois and Iowa, Missouri’s casinos must be dockside.

This is limiting because it confines these casinos to the Missouri and
Mississippi Rivers. But the good news is that the Show-Me State got rid of
hampering rules like a $500-daily-loss limit and 2-hour cruises.

Now,Missouri casinos can benefit much more from this lucrative market. You
can see more info on a few of these casinos below.

    1) Ameristar Casino Kansas City

    3200 North Ameristar Drive, Kansas City, MO 64161

    2) Ameristar Casino St. Charles

    1 Ameristar Blvd, St Charles, MO 63301

    3) Harrah’s Kansas City

    1 Riverboat Dr, North Kansas City, MO 64116

    4) Hollywood Casino St. Louis

    777 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights, MO 63043

    5) Isle Casino

    777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701

    6) Isle of Capri Kansas City

    1800 Front St, Kansas City, MO 64120

    7) Lady Luck Casino

    777 E 3rd St, Caruthersville, MO 63830

    8) Mark Twain Casino

    104 Pierce St, La Grange, MO 63448

History of Gambling in Missouri

Like other states along the Mississippi River, Missouri has a history of
riverboat gambling. Nevertheless, they didn’t take any action towards legalized
gambling until 1984 – when they approved a lottery.

By 1992, they legalized riverboat casinos, becoming one of the first
Midwestern states to offer casino gambling. Since then, the Show-Me State has
seen its casino industry become more and more significant over the years.

Unfortunately, Missouri’s history doesn’t include much discussion on internet
gambling. In fact, they’ve actually taken legal action against iGaming
operators.

This makes us wonder how long it will be before they seriously consider
regulating the activity.

The good news, though, is that they’ve made some progress by legalizing daily
fantasy sports. Let’s look at this gambling milestone and others in Missouri’s
history below.

1984

Voters approve constitutional change that allows for a lottery and the Missouri State Lottery Commission.

1987

Missouri begins holding horse races at the state fair.

1988

Voters approve constitutional amendment for raffles.

1992

Missouri voters are in favor of constitutional amendment that allows riverboat casinos. The Missouri Gaming Commission is created the same year.

1994

Casinos successfully push for baccarat, blackjack, poker, roulette, and slot machines.

1997

State takes legal action against Pennsylvania’s Interactive Gaming & Communications for selling online lottery tickets.

Is online gambling legal in missouri state2000

Missouri takes legal action against California’s Marc Meghrouni and Scott Shaver for running an offshore casino and serving Missourians.

2008

Voters approve Proposition A, which raises gambling tax rate, limits the number of casinos, bans casino loss limits and sees educational fund created out of gambling taxes.

2012

US Attorney’s Office in Western Missouri indicts online gaming operators.

2016

State legalizes and regulates daily fantasy sports.

Missouri FAQs

Missouri doesn’t have the clearest laws on internet gambling. We’re convinced
that they deem the activity legal, but they’ve never arrested anybody for
gambling online.

In any case, this presents a number of questions for those interested in
playing online casino games and poker in Missouri. Let’s cover some of the
most-common questions below.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Missouri?

Yes.

Governor Jay Nixon helped draft the state’s daily fantasy sports legislation.
This is the first time that a sitting governor actually helped write a DFS bill.

Some worried that the legislation wouldn’t pass the State House. But it did
in May 2016, then moved to Nixon’s desk for a final signature the following
month.

Stipulations of Missouri’s DFS bill include:

  • Missouri Gaming Commission governs the state’s DFS industry.
  • Operators pay an annual licensing fee worth $10,000, or 10% of their net revenue if this amount is less.
  • Operators must pay a one-time $50,000 fee for the MGC to investigate their business.
  • 11.5% tax rate, which is higher than other states.
  • No DFS for collegiate sports.
  • High-volume players are labeled on their profile photo.

It’s great that Missouri has taken the steps to legalize DFS. But we wish
that they would take the same initiative with online gambling in general because
this could also make the state a lot of money.

Has Missouri Ever Busted Online Gambling Sites?

Yes, but the operators were living on US soil in both cases.

In 1997, the Missouri Attorney General filed a civil injunction against the
Pennsylvania-based Interactive Gaming & Communications. The AG charged that
Interactive Gaming was selling online lottery tickets to Missourians.

The owners pleaded guilty to promoting gambling and were ordered to pay a
$27,500 fine to Missouri.

In 2000, the state indicted Marc Meghrouni and Scott Shaver, who owned the
Curacao-based Paradise Casino.

The California natives pleaded guilty to tax fraud, money laundering, and
violating the Wager Wire Act. Shaver and Meghrouni agreed to forfeit a $1
million condo in Orange County and a Lamborghini as part of the settlement.

As you can see, the Show-Me State isn’t afraid to prosecute online gambling
sites. But in both cases, these companies were based in America.

That said, we don’t see them pursuing any offshore sites where the owners
live outside the US.

Is It Illegal to Gamble on My Smartphone?

Missouri has a broad definition of gambling devices that covers lots of
ground. Here’s how code 572.010 (5) describes a gambling device:

“…means any device, machine, paraphernalia or equipment that is used or
usable in the playing phases of any gambling activity, whether that activity
consists of gambling between persons or gambling by a person with a machine.”

The first part of this can cover a smartphone, tablet, or computer. And if
Missouri really wanted to make a case out of a smartphone gambler, they could
through section 572.010 (5).

But there’s almost no chance of this happening.

As discussed before, Missouri has never taken legal action against an online
gambler. And until they legalize the activity, we don’t see this happening in
the near future.

Why doesn’t Missouri Legalize Online Gaming?

So far, the only states that have legalized and regulated internet gambling
include Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey.

Nevada and New Jersey legalized the activity because they’re both big casino
destinations that wanted to be at the iGaming forefront. Delaware is also a
fairly large gaming destination for its size (945.6k residents), given that they
have 3 racinos.

Missouri is located near states that have legalized DFS, so it makes sense
that they’ve done the same. But Illinois and Iowa are the only neighbors that
have seriously considered online gambling legislation – but neither have
legalized the activity.

With no local peers regulating iGaming and no serious pushes in Missouri, we
don’t see them legalizing internet gambling for a long time.

Additional Resources

Here’s a look at more resources that you can use to learn about Missouri’s
gambling laws, as well as other topics pertaining to the matter.

    The MGC enforces gambling laws and oversees the state’s gaming industry.
    Their website offers FAQs and laws on social and charitable gaming.

    This page shows all of the updates to Missouri’s gambling codes. You’ll find
    a helpful search tool here that allows you to look up different topics.

    The Missouri Lottery Commission handles all 9 lottery games for the state and
    makes payouts to winners.

The Future & Your Views

Missouri isn’t anywhere close to legalizing and regulating online gambling.
In fact, their laws and previous legal actions against operators suggest that
they frown upon the activity.

But the good news is that they don’t seem to care about their residents
playing online casino games and poker. We can’t find one arrest record for an
online gambler in the state.

Missouri is enthused about daily fantasy sports, becoming the sixth state to
legalize the activity in 2016.

We wish they’d share the same enthusiasm about online gambling as a whole,
but at least they’ve legalized one form of iGaming.

Unfortunately, it’ll be years before Missouri regulates internet gambling. No
serious discussions have taken place on the matter, and no neighboring states
have legalized the activity.

Maybe if Illinois or Iowa regulates iGaming, the dominoes will start to fall
into place in the Midwest. But until then, Missouri remains a grey area filled
with offshore gaming sites.

  • Horseracing (1984), Lottery (1984), Casinos (1992), Bingo (1994)
  • $620 million
  • $3 billion
  • 16 for charity games, 18 for lottery and racing, 21 for casinos
  • Missouri does not have a statewide smoking ban
  • No forms of legal online gambling

Missouri gambling was late to the market when compared to other states. It didn’t legalize a lottery or racing until 1984. Missouri casinos and charitable gambling were legalized 10 years later.

The Missouri Lottery is among the most successful in the country. That cannot be said about the state’s horseracing. The last of the tracks failed in the 1990s after Missouri casinos became legal. Off-track betting is allowed, but there are none of those facilities. That is because simulcast racing may only be held on days where there is a live race. This makes online betting on horses also illegal in Missouri.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Missouri

How are gambling winnings taxed? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying gambling taxes. If you want to learn how to report your gambling income to the IRS, check out our exclusive Gambling Taxes Guide.

Missouri Casinos Map & Guide

  • River City Casino
  • Argosy Casino
  • Isle of Capri
  • Harrah’s
  • Isle Casino
  • 13
  • 7
  • 1

Types of Missouri Online Gambling Allowed

The only form of legal Missouri online gambling is daily fantasy sports. The law is unclear on the topic. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo! are among the sites that accept players in the state for daily fantasy sports contests. A bill was introduced in the Missouri Legislature in 2016 to expressly make daily fantasy sports legal.

November 2018 Update

Bingo! During the midterm elections, voters in Missouri decided to pass a measure that would give bingo in the state a boost. Now organizations will only need 6 months of membership to be allowed to offer bingo games.

Types of Live Missouri Gambling

  • Slots: Yes
  • Blackjack: Yes
  • Poker: Yes
  • Craps/Roulette: Yes
  • Horses: Yes
  • Lottery: Yes

There are four types of legal live Missouri gambling. One is allowed on the books but is a dead industry in the state; horse racing. The state allows tracks to offer live races but none actually do. That is because like in most states, Missouri casinos devastated the racing industry. Off-track betting is only legal on days of live races. That means there are no racebooks in Missouri either since no live races take place.

There is a state lottery in Missouri. Scratch-off and lotto tickets are mostly sold in convenience stores. This includes interstate drawings like Mega Millions and Powerball. Missouri also has Club Keno. These tickets are sold in bars, bowling alleys, and pool halls. A new drawing is held every four minutes.

Bingo and raffles are legal if offered by registered charities. These include religious, fraternal, and veteran causes.

A big attraction in Missouri are the riverboat casinos. These are open 24 hours a day. The boats are not required to leave the docks anymore. They are standard Missouri casinos that just happen to be located on waterways like the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. There are no restrictions on casino games. Players can enjoy slots, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, and live poker, among other approved games. There are currently 13 Missouri casinos that are open and operating throughout the state. You can use our Missouri casinos map to find the locations and contact information of each.

Missouri once had a $500 loss limit every two hours. This was repealed by voters in 2008.

Missouri Gambling Laws

Missouri gambling laws permit several forms of legalized gambling. All gambling establishments must be licensed by the state. This includes charities, which must register. A charity may offer bingo and raffles if spread by a religious, fraternal, or veterans organization. The charity must have existed for at least two years prior to spreading these games. Professional gamblers are barred from playing in charity games.

Casinos must be located on boats. The casinos no longer have to leave the dock, nor do they have to enforce loss limits. The $500 loss limit every two hours was repealed in 2008 by voters in a statewide referendum.

Missouri Casino Games and Taxes

Casinos in Missouri may spread any table game allowed in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. This includes slots, video poker, Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, blackjack, craps, roulette, keno, baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, and any approved house-banked table game. Missouri casinos must pay a 21 percent tax on gaming win to the state. There is also a $2 admission tax on every patron. This requires all Missouri casino patrons to have a player card so that they may be tracked for this fee.

Anyone that loses money in illegal gambling schemes may pursue loss recovery through the qui tam laws in Missouri. If the losing gambler declines to claim these losses, the family may do so in his place. Parents may recover the gambling losses of minors.

Racing is legal in Missouri. No tracks have operated since the 1990s. Off-track betting is only permitted on days where there is a live race. This means that there is no legal way to bet on a horse race in Missouri, even though the activity is technically legal. Mobile apps and websites that accept bets on horse races are also illegal. The Missouri Horse Racing Commission still exists but is essentially defunct.

The state lottery may sell scratch-off and lotto tickets through retailers. They may not be sold over the Internet. The Missouri Lottery may also hold keno drawings every four minutes. Club Keno retailers require a special license. These are typically found in taverns and other businesses that have an open-pour alcohol license.

Online

Missouri Minimum Gambling Ages

Missouri Gaming Laws

Missouri gambling law is a special case among other states when it comes to the “minimum gambling age”. They have three different tiers for the cut-off ages:

The minimum Missouri gambling age for bingo and raffles is 16 years.
The Missouri Lottery and horse racing have a minimum gambling age of 18 years.
Online
Missouri casino players have a required minimum gambling age of 21 years.

Missouri Casinos List

There are 13 casinos in Missouri. Each Missouri casino is required to be located on or near a body of water. Most are located near the largest cities in the state.

You can find the general casino information below, including the address and website. For more specific directions, you can use our Missouri casinos map for guidance.

CasinoSizeAddressWebsite
Ameristar Casino – Kansas City2,500 Slot Machines3200 North Ameristar Drivewww.ameristar.com
Ameristar Casino – St. Charles2,700 Slot Machines1260 South Main Streetwww.ameristar.com
Argosy Casino – Riverside1,750 Slot Machines777 Northwest Argosy Parkwaywww.argosykansascity.com
Harrah’s – North Kansas City2,100 Slot Machines1 Riverboat Drivewww.caesars.com
Hollywood Casino – St. Louis2,100 Slot Machines777 Casino Center Drivewww.hollywoodcasinostlouis.com
Isle of Capri – Boonville900 Slot Machines100 Isle of Capri Boulevardwww.isleofcapricasinos.com
Isle Casino – Cape Girardeau900 Slot Machines777 Main Streetwww.isleofcapricasinos.com
Isle of Capri – Kansas City1,000 Slot Machines1800 Front Streetwww.isleofcapricasinos.com
Lady Luck Casino – Caruthersville500 Slot Machines777 East 3rd Streetwww.isleofcapricasinos.com
Lumiere Place Casino – St. Louis1,700 Slot Machines999 North 2nd Streetwww.lumiereplace.com
Mark Twain Casino – La Grange600 Slot Machines104 Pierce Streetwww.marktwaincasinolagrange.com
River City Casino – Lemay2,000 Slot Machines777 River City Casino Boulevardwww.rivercity.com
St. Jo Frontier Casino – St. Joseph556 Slot Machines777 Winners Circlewww.stjofrontiercasino.com

History of Missouri Gambling

Modern gambling in Missouri started in 1984. There were two forms of gambling that date back to the state’s early days and into its territorial ones. Horse racing began in the 1750s. By 1800, there were 20 racetracks in St. Louis. Wagers were accepted through gray area bookmaking operations. Horse racing became illegal in Missouri in 1905.

Missouri casinos operated on riverboats in waterside communities during the 1800s. This was commonplace during that era. These riverboats survived through the prohibition days but were never technically legal. Authorities looked the other way.

Horse racing returned in 1984. Tracks struggled through the early years. The state was unwilling to permit off-track betting on days where there were no live races. This was done to encourage live racing days but it had the opposite effect. The inability to subsidize tracks with simulcast betting revenue contributed to the industry’s collapse once casinos were legalized in 1994.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment to create a state lottery the same year the horse racing industry was revived. The Missouri Lottery is permitted to hold games of chance. These include instant games, lotto drawings, and keno for money.

Voters returned to the polls in 1992 to approve riverboat casinos. The President Casino became the first Missouri casino when it opened on a boat that had been a part of the Mississippi River since 1907. It opened in 1994. Casino St. Charles opened around the same time. Admission fees were charged at the time. They ranged from $2 to $5, depending on the day of the week. Casinos in Missouri were only open from 10 am to 1 am. Excursions were for two hours. Players could not lose more than $500 per two-hour cruise. Some boats in the early years never left the dock. The cruise time was simply the period where the anchor was lifted.

Restrictions were relaxed over the years. The biggest inconvenience for gamblers was the $500 loss limit every two hours. This caused players to do unusual things. Gamblers would sell chips in bathrooms. Poker players were forced to stockpile chips to have the bankroll to sit in higher limit games. That is because a player could not buy-in to any casino game for more than $500 during a set two-hour period. This covered slot machines, video poker, table games, and poker tables.

Missouri was the last state with a casino loss limit. A statewide referendum did away with the $500 loss limit in 2008.

Missouri Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Is there a state lottery in Missouri?

Yes. Games include scratch-off tickets, lotto drawings, and keno games.

Horseracing is legal in the state but there are no tracks.

Off-track betting is technically legal in Missouri but there are no places to make the wagers in the state.

No. Off-track betting is only legal at tracks on race days. There are no active tracks in Missouri.

The sites claim legality under Missouri’s skill gaming laws even though there is no specific statute addressing it. The state’s attorney general and legislature have not acted on the issue although a bill is pending that would legalize it.

Yes, there are currently 13 Missouri casinos. They must be located on or near the water.

The minimum Missouri gambling age is 16 years for charity gambling, 18 years for lottery and horse racing, and 21 years for casino gambling.

No. The $500 casino loss limit was repealed in 2008.

Missouri does not have a statewide smoking ban.