Missouri is finally set to enter the sports betting ecosystem, and BetMGM expects to be one of the 21 possible sportsbooks available to bettors.
On Tuesday, Century Casinos announced that it had reached a partnership agreement with BetMGM, per Legal Sports Report. Sportsbooks are not required to secure a casino partner, but they can gain access through the state’s 13 casinos or six professional sports teams.
The gaming giant is now the sixth sportsbook that is either confirmed or expected to launch.
Century could add retail sportsbooks
Century Casinos operates the Century Casino & Hotel Cape Girardeau and Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville in Missouri. The former is the most recent of the state’s 13 retail facilities; the latter was sold and renamed to Century in 2019.
The casino company commemorated the news with a statement from its co-CEOs, Erwin Haitzmann and Peter Hoetzinger.
“We are excited to partner with BetMGM, a leading online sports betting and gaming entertainment company with a dynamic and innovative brand. This partnership is another step forward in leveraging our Missouri licenses and delivering premium entertainment experiences for our customers.”
The multi-year agreement allows BetMGM to offer online sports betting across the state when legal Missouri sports betting goes live on Dec. 1.
BetMGM will pay a percentage of its revenue from mobile sports betting, with a guaranteed minimum, to Century under the deal. Century also has the option of adding retail sports betting at its two casinos in Missouri.
Big-brand sportsbooks expected to apply
The Missouri Gaming Commission opened the window for operators to apply for licenses earlier this month. Those tethered with a casino or sports team have until Sept. 12 to submit an application. Applications for the two untethered licenses are due by July 15.
Each casino can partner with two separate sportsbooks, or "skins."
Earlier this year, the St. Louis Cardinals formed a partnership with bet365. Also, PENN Entertainment said during its May 8 earnings call that it anticipated launching its mobile app in Missouri.
Also expected to vie for licenses are market leaders FanDuel and DraftKings, along with competitors Caesars and Fanatics, among others.
Missouri narrowly approved sports betting
Missouri legalized sports betting via Amendment 2 last fall, which passed by a meager 50.05%.
The state's top professional sports teams strongly backed the amendment after lawmakers failed for several years to add sports betting.
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins (R), who led the opposition to sports betting at the statehouse, rejected an emergency rulemaking proposal earlier this year that would have sped up the application process and allowed sports betting to begin before Dec. 1.