Circa, DraftKings Win Untethered Sports Betting Licenses in Missouri

^{Circa was one of two operators granted an untethered license to launch online sports betting in Missouri, expanding their footprint of physical locations from several other states. (Photo: Wirestock, Inc. / Alamy)}

DraftKingsThe Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) awarded its first two sports betting licenses on Friday, Aug. 15, granting them to Circa Hospitality and DraftKings.

Missouri voters narrowly legalized online and retail sports betting via a ballot amendment in November 2024.

MGC Praises All Three Applicants

The two licenses awarded on Friday are considered untethered, meaning the operators won’t have to partner with a casino or sports team in the state in order to offer betting. Once betting is launched this December, users in Missouri will also be able place bets with either operator via their mobile phones.

Circa and DraftKings were among three competitors for the two available untethered licenses. They each beat out FanDuel, which was also in the running.

For Circa, which will expand into its sixth state when it begins operations in Missouri, earning a license also meant scoring a win over a major national powerhouse.

“Winning one of Missouri’s first two untethered mobile betting licenses is a great honor,” Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens said in a statement. “We came in as the long shot against national giants like DraftKings and FanDuel, but our licensure approval today proves there’s room for a different kind of operator.”

The MGC acknowledged that all three operators presented strong cases, making for a difficult decision.

“The commission considered many factors before the two applications were chosen,” MGC Chairman Jan Zimmerman said in a statement. “We commend [FanDuel parent company] Betfair Interactive US, LLC for its efforts. It was a difficult decision, but the Commission is only able to grant two licenses.”

Untethered Licenses Still Available to FanDuel, Other Operators

But while FanDuel lost out on an untethered license, it will still be able to enter the Missouri market by partnering with a casino or professional sports team located in the state.

“We appreciated the opportunity to present to the Missouri Gaming Commission and respect their decision,” a FanDuel spokesperson said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing our leading sportsbook product to Missouri residents.”

FanDuel and other interested operators can apply for a license with a partner by Sept. 12 in order to potentially start offering sports betting in the state when the market launches on Dec. 1. 

According to the MGC, it made its decision on a variety of factors which included online sports betting expertise, platform integrity and revenue generation potential. According to Stevens, those criteria may be exactly what helped Circa win Friday’s licensing race.

“We didn’t win by trying to be the biggest,” Stevens said. “We won by staying true to who we are, and I want to thank the Missouri Gaming Commission for recognizing that and giving us the opportunity to bring the Circa Sports experience to the State of Missouri.”