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Mike Leara Named As Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: September 10, 2024 11:29 AM EDT • 2 min 2 sec read.

Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook throws a pass as we look at Mike Leara's appointment as the Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director
Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook throws a pass against the Buffalo Bulls. Photo by: Denny Medley/Imagn Images.

Missouri doesn't have access to our best sports betting sites, but residents will soon have a say in that. And changes are happening ahead of the November vote.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) named Mike Leara its ninth Executive Director on Friday, Sept. 6. Leara will succeed Peggy Richardson, who announced her retirement earlier this year. The effective date for Leara’s duties has yet to be determined.

Richardson began her duties as Executive Director in 2021 and was the first woman to serve in the position. In her resignation letter, she wrote:

“While I have appreciated the incredible opportunity to lead this organization, I have decided to retire as of June 1, 2024. In the past several months I have been reminded that every day is a gift and, quite frankly, I have a lot of things on my bucket list that I want to get done. Besides, if you never step aside, no one else ever gets to step up.  You can be assured that I will remain fully committed to the Missouri Gaming Commission and will do all I can to make my successor’s transition as smooth as possible.”

Current affairs

Leara’s appointment comes at a pivotal time, as Missouri voters will soon decide the future of legal Missouri sports betting. A ballot initiative, which survived a recent lawsuit challenging the validity of collected signatures, will allow residents to vote on legalizing sports betting this November.

The initiative, driven by support from Missouri’s professional sports teams and groups like Winning for Missouri Education, aims to direct tax revenue from legal sports betting toward public education.

If approved, sports teams and casinos statewide would be eligible for retail and mobile sports betting licenses, potentially generating millions in annual funding for Missouri schools.

“Missourians currently place hundreds of millions in bets each year either by using illegal, offshore gaming websites, or by driving to neighboring states to place wagers," said Winning for Missouri Education in a statement earlier this year.

"By legalizing sports gaming in Missouri, the initiative petition would halt much of this activity and instead provide tens of millions of dollars annually for Missouri classrooms, where teachers are some of the lowest paid in the entire country.”

About Mr. Leara

The Saint Louis University graduate was appointed to the Missouri Gaming Commission as Chairman in August 2019. In July 2023, Governor Mike Parson named Leara the State Supervisor for the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.

He also served as a State Representative for the 96th District from 2009 to 2017. As a State Representative, Leara served as Vice Chair on the Board of Trustees for the Missouri State Employee Retirement System. 

Since 1999, he has also owned and operated Gateway Advisors, LLC in Saint Louis, which has grown from a financial consulting firm to a corporate and governmental retirement and pension plan consulting firm.

Missouri gambling options

As Executive Director, Leara will operate the commission, which regulates all of the state's gambling activities. At present, sports betting is not legal either online or at retail sportsbooks. The state legalized Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests in 2016, available through operators like DraftKings and FanDuel.

While online casinos are illegal in Missouri, the Show-Me State is home to 13 riverboat casinos that offer slots and table games.

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.