Missouri has a good offering of what can be loosely defined as riverboat casinos, which first entered the state in 1993. In the three decades after that, not much has changed in terms of gambling in the Show Me State, especially not for casino enthusiasts.
Lawmakers have attempted to legalize online sports betting multiple times, but continues to fail. The state has no race tracks, does not permit any mobile betting, but does provide Faily Fantasy Sports since 2016. Residents and visitors can also participate in a state lottery and enjoy a range of social online casinos that do not provide real-money gambling.
In our guide to online casinos in Missouri, we’ll look at the various gambling opportunities available, when you can expect to access more casino games, and how to play legally today.
Are Online Casinos in Missouri Legal?
Missouri online casinos are not legal, and the sites that provide these services are offshore and should not be trusted.
Offshore online casinos in Missouri avoid US law by not being located in the country. While these sites offer attractive games and bonuses, it’s essential to ask yourself what the chances are that they would honor payments, fairness, and security for individual players if they can ignore the gambling laws.
Are any Types of Online Casinos Legal in Missouri?
A safe and reliable way to play the latest casino games would be to join one of the social online casinos in Missouri. While these sites do not provide direct real-money gambling, you can still redeem cash prizes and goods by collecting sweepstakes.
The best Sweepstakes online casinos in Missouri provide excellent bonus rewards, which ensure you play games without ever having to make a purchase. However, should you wish to gain an edge and have more coins in your account, these sites offer various budget-friendly packages that suit all players.
When will Missouri Legalize Online Casinos?
More than half of America’s states have stepped towards legalzing some forms of online gambling. Most have chosen online betting while some have legalized online casinos in addition to betting, taking advantage of the revenue while also having more control on responsible gambling.
Missouri is not one of the states to offer any form of legal online gambling and does not show any interest in making changes. While many predict online sports betting would soon be legalized, online casinos in Missouri are doubtful to become reality soon.
Brief Gambling History in Missouri
Most states offer a rich gambling history, commonly starting with race betting, but Missouri does not have any race tracks and doesn’t seem to have ever been a significant player in the gambling industry. However, in the 19th and 20th century the state hosted various major racing events, including the St. Louis World’s Fair Handicap.
The first form of legalized gambling entered Massouri in 1980 when chartiable bingo games were permitted. Four years later, pari-mutuel betting was legalized, followed by the state lottery in 1986.
The 90s were mainly focused on developing river boat casinos, first legalized in 1992, which also established the Missouri Gaming Commission a year later. In 1994, river boat casinos were permitted to provide games of chance and in 1998, the referendum was amended to allow rivers boat casinos to remain docked.
While the loss limit was lifted for river boats in 2008, the only other essential note in Missouri’s gambling history occured in 2016 when the state legalized daily fantasy sports.
Best Sweepstakes Online Casinos in Missouri
The only legal way to play at online casinos in Missouri is social options. Luckily, sweepstakes online casinos are incredible popular, legal in the US, and provide a range of brilliant gaming opportunities that include slots, live dealer games, and various tables.
Register your account with a sweepstakes online casino in Missouri to claim your first bonus and instantly enjoy your favorite games. Collect as many sweep coins as possible and redeem them for cash prizes and rewards.
| Rank | Sweepstakes Online Casino | Welcome Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pulsz | 5,000 Coins + 2.3 Sweeps |
| 2. | High 5 Casino | 250 Coins + 600 Diamonds + 5 Sweeps |
| 3. | Gambino Slots | 100,000 Coins + 200 Free Spins |
| 4. | BetRivers.net | 10 – 1,000 VC$ |
| 5. | Wow Vegas | 5,000 Wow Coins |
In which States are Online Casinos Legal?
The first online casino sites launched in 2013, offering players in New Jersey access to excellent games, promotions, and the ability to play remotely. The best online casinos have spread to many other states since, including Rhode Island, which is the latest state to provide access to online gaming.
Closest State with Legal Online Casinos from Missouri
Michigan and West Virginia are the closest states with legal online casinos from Missouri. However, if you’re travelling purely to access online casinos, we highly recommend choosing Michigan as the state provides a larger selection with better bonuses and games.
Players in Missouri can register an account with online casinos in other states and deposit to claim the welcome bonus. However, to play games for real money, you must be in the state at the time. If you travel to any of the above-mentioned states, you can also access the online casino games during airport layovers.
Land-based Casinos in Missouri
All the casinos in Missouri are on riverboats, and there are no Native American casinos. In November 1992, Missouri voters approved a statewide referendum to allow riverboat gambling. That made Missouri the fifth state to approve this form of gambling.
Since the riverboats are not required to cruise, almost all casinos in Missouri are built on a barge which gives them the appearance of a land-based building, rather than a riverboat.
When the Missouri casinos first began operating they were required to cruise and they all conducted two-hour gaming sessions with a $500 loss-limit on each session.
In early 2000 the law was changed to allow continuous boarding and cruising was no longer required for Missouri casinos. In November 2008, the state’s $500 loss limit provision was eliminated due to a statewide referendum.
A State with No Interested in Online Casinos
Based on the gambling history in Missouri, it’s clear that gambling is not as popular, and lawmakers have no intention of changing it, especially not for online casinos. However, as more surrounding states legalize casinos to provide a better regulated gambling environment, we expect to see change in Missouri, but it would most likely be one of the last to offer access to the best US online casinos.
On the bright side, sweepstakes online casinos provide access to a vast collection of popular casino games where you can participate in tournaments and various leaderboards to claim sweeps and redeem those cash rewards.