Missouri Gambling Laws
You have come to the right place if you are interested in learning everything there is to know about Missouri Gambling Laws. The interesting part about legal gambling anywhere in the United States, is that it is not as black and white as it seems. There are many questions surrounding the gambling industry in Missouri. Here at USA Gambling Laws we sift through the most important of these questions in order to ensure that residents of Missouri can enjoy their favorite pastime without fear of being in legal trouble. During the 1990s, the Mississippi legislature made it legal for casinos to set up in 'the Magnolia state'. In Mississippi, gambling casinos have helped improve the economy and the reputation of the state. Roving gamblers and tourists are welcomed warmly by the great state of Mississippi. There are Mississippi Casinos located throughout the state, from the Delta to the Gulf Coast, so gamblers and tourists will have plenty of opportunities to gamble. The first rule to remember when it comes to gambling is the legal age requirement. In Missouri, like a lot of American states, the age that a person must be to gamble is 21. Any sort of underage gambling is considered a criminal offense. As any keen gambler knows, there is nothing quite like spinning slots or hitting the craps table. However it is not always convenient to head out to a land based casino. Thankfully, online casinos have risen to become an excellent way to get the casino type experience whilst also enjoying the comfort of your own home. Sites such as WinPalace or Lucky Red can actually surpass most land based casinos, in terms of what they offer. Experiencing the best that online gambling has to offer is key to a successful online gambling experience. Although people are sometimes hesitant to try online gambling, after just one visit to one of our legal gambling sites for United States residents, you will see that online gambling can be just as thrilling as gambling at a Las Vegas casino. Your online experience will feel quite genuine as you cash in your winnings and earn some free bonus money prior to even starting to play. Although it may appear that the gambling laws are restrictive, the reality is that many online gambling sites are more than happy to accommodate American players.
Online sportsbooking in Missouri is a pastime enjoyed by a lot of sports enthusiasts. Waging successful bets can be very profitable, but sports are not the only thing you can bet upon. Sites such as Bovada offer players the chance to wage bets on things such as celebrities, or the outcome of TV programs.
Online poker is a great way to enjoy your favorite card game whilst also socializing with like-minded people. Sites such as Bovada offer state of the art matchmaking, meaning that it is possible to find a tournament whenever you want. Nothing beats the thrill of winning it big through online poker.
Understanding gambling legality is an ever changing process. Due to the frequently changing nature of the state gambling laws it is almost impossible to keep up to date with the gambling laws in your state but we make every effort to provide up to date information. USA Gambling Laws has researched the restrictions placed on gambling in the US and found that there is commonly a way to legally gamble online and our USA casino reviews will guide players to the right sites. Players and casinos, including those with a physical location, or those on the Internet, are protected by gambling laws and players in Missouri will want to check the gambling laws in Missouri to make sure your are participating in legal gambling activities. |
Historically speaking, gambling in Missouri has always been all about horse racing and riverboat casinos. Throughout the 19th century, these industries were allowed to operate without regulation. The authorities stopped turning a blind eye to all of the action in 1905, and they criminalized all bookmaking operations.
Gambling Age in Missouri. In order to gamble on a riverboat casino in Missouri, you must be at least 21 years of age. However, you can buy a lottery ticket from 18. The state has some of the most lenient drinking laws in the country, but you still have to be 21 to purchase or drink alcohol, as with the rest of. MISSOURI GAMBLING LAWS The state of Missouri permits commercial casino gambling, charitable gambling, lotteries, poker, social gambling, and various other markets. However, MO is one of the only US states that does not have legal horse racing betting opportunities (including.
Legal gambling was re-introduced to the state in 1984 when Missouri legalized horse racing and established an official lottery. Riverboat casinos were approved in 1992. Unfortunately, as the casinos gained popularity, the horse racing scene deteriorated. The local racetracks eventually stopped hosting live races, and pari-mutuel betting disappeared from the state.
Missouri Gambling Law Summary
Missouri Revised Statutes define gambling as “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or future contingent event.” While this definition was drafted before the advent of online gambling, it is generic enough to cover most activities of this kind. Furthermore, since Missouri lawmakers have not passed any iGaming regulations yet, local businesses are prohibited from operating any gambling sites under the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Engaging in illegal gambling as a player is considered a Class C misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $750 and up to fifteen days in jail. The penalty for professional gamblers is more severe and may include a fine of up to $2,000 and up to one year in jail. Home games are legal as long as there is no rake or other fees.
Most gambling-related matters are covered in Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 572.010 et seq. and 313.001 et seq. The minimum gambling age is 16 for charity games, 18 for lottery and pari-mutuel betting, and 21 for casino-style games.
Online Gambling in Missouri
As is often the case in the United States, Missouri law is very complicated and ambiguous when it comes to gambling. Section 572 of the Missouri code prohibits participating in unlicensed games of chance hosted within the borders of the state, except social gaming. However, the law doesn’t even mention internet games of chance, and the state never tried bringing misdemeanor charges of this kind against an online gambler, so many experts believe that playing on offshore sites is perfectly legal.
Missouri Casinos
There are no traditional brick-and-mortar casinos in Missouri, but the state has a healthy riverboat casino industry. In total, 13 casinos are operating in various locations across the state. These casinos are Ameristar Casino Resort (St. Charles), Ameristar Casino Hotel (Kansas City), Argosy Casino Hotel and Spa (Riverside), Harrah’s North (Kansas City), Hollywood Casino St. Louis (Maryland Heights), Isle of Capri Casino Hotel (Boonville), Isle Casino Cape Girardeau (Cape Girardeau), Isle of Capri Casino Hotel (Kansas City), Lady Luck Casino (Caruthersville), Lumiere Place (St. Louis), Mark Twain Casino (La Grange), River City Casino and Hotel (St. Louis), and St. Jo Frontier Casino (St. Joseph). Missouri regulations are not very restrictive when it comes to games, so all of the local riverboat casinos offer slots and a wide range of table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and casino poker.
Missouri does not have a regulated online casino industry. Playing over the internet is prohibited and is likely to be classified as a Class C or Class A misdemeanor.
Missouri Poker
Six Missouri riverboat casinos offer competitive poker. These casinos are Ameristar Kansas City, Ameristar St. Charles, Harrah’s North Kansas City, Hollywood Casino St. Louis, Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, and Lumiere Place in St. Louis. Except for Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, which operates only four tables, most of these casinos are capable of running at least ten games at any given time. Tournaments are usually hosted on a bi-weekly basis, and most of the action is all about No-Limit Hold ’em.
Missouri does not have any online poker regulations. Engaging in online play for money within state lines is illegal and constitutes a Class C or Class A misdemeanor, depending on the amount of money involved.
Missouri Sports Betting
Horse race betting was legalized in 1984. Unfortunately, Missouri regulations require all bets to be taken on racing days, and none of the local racetracks host live races anymore. These restrictions also apply to off-track betting facilities and online OTB platforms, such as TwinSpires and XpressBet. As a result, while theoretically legal, horse race betting is currently unavailable to Missouri residents.
Sports betting is still illegal, but this is likely to change over the next few years. In 2018, the local lawmakers introduced six new sports betting bills. Three of those bills were presented in the House (HB 2320, HB 2406, HB 2535), and three were proposed in the Senate (SB 767, SB 1009, SB 1013). None of the proposals have made it very far, as the legislators seem to be somewhat divided when it comes to integrity fees. As proposed by Sen. Denny Hoskins, these fees would take the form of quarterly payments to professional sports leagues. This ongoing issue makes it unlikely any bill will reach the Governor’s desk in the foreseeable future.
Missouri Daily Fantasy Sports
Missouri enacted a DFS bill in June 2016. The new legislation puts DFS platforms under the purview of the Missouri Gaming Commission. It obligates all Missouri-facing operators to pay an annual licensing fee and to undergo a yearly audit. There have been two attempts to update the bill in 2017 and 2018, but the proposals have not gained any traction in the House.
As it stands, Missouri residents are free to participate in paid-entry DFS contests on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Yahoo has not applied for a Missouri license, so its DFS service is not available in the Show-Me State.
Missouri Lotteries
Missouri Lottery offers a wide range of draw games, including multi-state lotteries such as Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lucky for Life. The lottery is also authorized to operate scratchers, keno (with drawings every 4 minutes), and pull-tabs. Missouri Lottery does not offer sales over the internet, so all tickets must be purchased from land-based retailers.
Missouri Bingo Laws
Bingo is legal in Missouri as long as registered charities offer it. During the 2018 midterm elections, Missouri residents voted to decrease the waiting period before a charity can manage a bingo game from two years to six months. The constitutional ban on advertising bingo games was also removed. Unfortunately, Missouri does not have a regulated online bingo market, and playing on offshore sites could be classified as illegal gambling.
Missouri Online Gambling FAQ
What types of gambling are available in Missouri?
Missouri is best known among gambling enthusiasts for its riverboat casinos, but the state also operates its own lottery and has a few Indian casinos. Unfortunately, there are no racetracks in Missouri, so the locals can’t engage in pari-mutuel betting. Intrastate online gambling hasn’t been regulated, so Missouri businesses aren’t allowed to operate any iGaming sites.
What laws cover online gambling in Missouri?
Most forms of real money gambling are regulated by Section 572 of the Missouri code. It’s worth remembering that even though none of those regulations refer to online gambling directly, the local law enforcement officials could argue that some of them extend to internet games. Fortunately, this has never been the case in the past, which allows us to conclude that getting some poker or casino action online is perfectly safe for Missouri residents.
Is real money online gambling legal in Missouri?
The legal status of online gambling might be considered a little ambiguous. However, there are no regulations explicitly prohibiting Missouri residents from playing real money games online, and the state doesn’t seem to be interested in discouraging the local gambling enthusiasts from using offshore iGaming platforms.
Which offshore gambling sites accept Missouri residents?
Although Missouri doesn’t have clear-cut gambling laws, most sites have absolutely no qualms about accepting Missouri residents.
Missouri Sports Gambling Laws
What are the most popular banking options supported by Missouri -facing sites?
The deposit method we recommend for Missouri -based gamblers is to use a Visa credit or debit card. Please note that offshore sites don’t support domestic-only cards, so you’ll have to make sure that your card has been cleared for international transactions. When it comes to withdrawing your winnings, we recommend sticking to bank wire transfers.
Does Missouri offer any intrastate online gambling?
No. Unlike New Jersey and Nevada, Missouri is yet to establish a local real money internet gaming market. People in Missouri don’t have any local iGaming services to pick from.
Is it likely for Missouri to regulate online gambling?
Missouri Online Gambling Laws
Missouri isn’t likely to become one of the pioneers of online gambling, but the local legislators guaranteed to regulate online gambling if more states decide to go in Nevada’s footsteps by opening their own local iGaming markets.