FanDuel is aiming to obtain one of the Show-Me State’s two coveted untethered sports betting licenses.
Key Takeaways
- FanDuel is seeking a license that would allow the operator to avoid paying partnership fees and sharing revenue.
- Sportsbook companies have until July 15 to apply for a direct mobile license.
- Three sports betting operators and three suppliers have officially submitted applications for the Dec. 1 launch.
The online sportsbook company has officially applied for a sports betting license with the Missouri Gaming Commission, agency public relations coordinator Elizabeth Hoffman confirmed with Covers on Thursday.
The Show-Me State will become the 39th U.S. state to offer legal sports betting when operations launch Dec. 1. FanDuel, which has no land-based casino affiliation in Missouri but operates in 25 U.S. states, joins DraftKings as the only two operators so far to apply for the untethered licenses.
The U.S.’s market-share leaders joined forces last year and spent more than $30 million combined to help get a Missouri sports betting ballot initiative in front of voters last November.
Untethered route
Getting an untethered license would give FanDuel and DraftKings access to the Show-Me State without having to negotiate a revenue share or pay a partnership fee. Operators have until July 15 to apply for those “direct mobile licenses,” which will be awarded a month later.
They can also speak directly to the commission on Aug. 13, two days before a decision is made. If denied, sportsbook companies can still gain market access through partnerships with one of the 13 casinos or six professional sports teams.
Officially submitted
The Missouri Gaming Commission also said on Thursday that data provider Catalist, testing lab GLI, and geolocation compliance and security company GeoComply have applied for supplier licenses.
Regulators are looking to grant temporary supplier licenses promptly so companies can pass requirements and tests before the December launch.
Missouri regulators have received three sportsbook licensing applications. Underdog, a DFS provider in more than 40 states, operates a traditional sportsbook in North Carolina. The company submitted its online sports betting application in June, but it has not announced a partnership. This would be Underdog’s second U.S. sportsbook market.
A public hearing on proposed rules is scheduled for July 17.
The other way
Affiliation licensing applications must be completed by Sept. 12.
bet365 is poised to receive a license after the sports betting operator struck a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this year. The two sides have discussed opening a retail sportsbook at the Cardinals’ Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis in 2026.
BetMGM has already partnered with Century Casinos with plans to launch online in the Show-Me State this year. ESPN BET, Bally Bet, and Caesars have land-based branded casinos currently present in Missouri, making them likely candidates for sports betting licenses.
Other potential applicants include Fanatics Sportsbook, Rush Street Interactive (BetRivers), Hard Rock Bet, and Circa Sports.
