FanDuel Secures Missouri Access Through St. Louis City SC

This agreement was necessary after the Missouri Gaming Commission issued the state's two available untethered licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: August 18, 2025 12:48 PM EDT • 3 minute read

FanDuel Secures Missouri Access Through St. Louis City SC — Pictured: St. Louis CITY SC midfielder Tomas Ostrak walks back to the bench. Photo by Talia Sprague via Imagn Images.

News keeps rolling in for our best sports betting sites as they great ready to launch in a new state.

FanDuel confirmed on Friday that it will enter the Missouri sports betting market on Dec. 1 through a partnership with Major League Soccer club St. Louis City SC. This agreement was necessary after the Missouri Gaming Commission issued the state's two available untethered licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports earlier in the day. Untethered licenses allow operators to function without a tie to a casino or professional sports franchise.

“Missouri’s home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the country, and we are thrilled to partner with St. Louis CITY SC to introduce our industry leading product to the Show Me State,” FanDuel President of Sports Mike Raffensperger said in a statement. “We look forward to supporting the team and engaging with the community as we bring America’s #1 Sportsbook to fans across Missouri.”

The choice caught many in the field off guard, considering FanDuel’s long-standing market position and its leading role in driving legalization within the state. FanDuel and DraftKings together invested $43 million in favor of Amendment 2, the ballot proposal that successfully legalized Missouri's sports betting in 2024. That amount established a record within the state for spending on a ballot initiative.

Missouri legislators have been trying to pass bills on sports betting since 2018, the year the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was struck down by the US Supreme Court. The one major hindrance has been former Sen. Denny Hoskins, who insisted on including the provision for video lottery terminals in every betting bill.

Hoskins, now serving as Secretary of State, has continued to influence the timeline of sports betting’s rollout. While the law required a launch by Dec. 1, officials had hoped to implement emergency rules to begin sooner. Hoskins declined to approve that process, ensuring the industry will launch on the latest possible date.

With the partnership, residents will be able to take advantage of FanDuel promo codes as part of an attractive slate of Missouri sportsbook promos,

DraftKings and Circa Sports awarded untethered licenses

The allocation of Missouri’s untethered licenses explains why FanDuel was forced to seek a team partnership. The Missouri Gaming Commission on Friday confirmed that DraftKings and Circa Sports were the recipients of the two direct mobile betting approvals.

These licenses permit the companies to operate statewide without an affiliation to a land-based casino or sports franchise. Circa Sports described its selection as a significant achievement, acknowledging that it entered the process as an underdog compared to larger national operators.

Circa has built its reputation by welcoming sharp bettors and allowing larger wagers than most competitors. During its presentation to regulators, however, the company noted that its approach could result in lower overall tax contributions compared to rivals.

For Circa, Missouri represents an expansion opportunity beyond its established presence in the Nevada sports betting, Iowa sports betting, and Colorado sports betting markets. DraftKings, meanwhile, will add Missouri to its growing list of markets, which already includes 28 other states, such as the neighboring Kansas sports betting market.

The approval ensures that when sports betting goes live in Missouri, both operators will be able to compete immediately with FanDuel and its new partner, St. Louis City SC.

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.