Missouri – the Show-Me State – is the 18th most populated US State located in the mid-west. Unbeknownst to many tourists, the state of Missouri offers a whole lot more than the arts, museums and parks. Certainly Ozark Mountain is a key attraction of the state, but along side and just as popular is the Missouri gambling scene.
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Missouri offers are wide variety of gambling options that is maturing in quality and quantity as the US State Laws go through a period of change.
In this GambleDex guide, we provide you with a review of the best casinos, outline Missouri gambling laws, provide an update on Sports Betting, list the various State Lotteries and a lot more.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for in Missouri, pop down to the section of Bordering States on this page. The states nearby also have a lot to offer.
Top 10 Missouri Online Casinos
| CASINO | RATING | BONUS | PLAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vegas Casino Online | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 400% up to $10,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
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| 10 |  Bovada | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 100% up to $3,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
Missouri Online Gambling
It is not legal to run an online casino in the state of Missouri, however it is legal to play online. You will find that to play online you must seek an interstate provided online licensed US online casino if you reside in Missouri.
Missouri ranks as the 23rd in the US for playing at offshore online casinos. Wagering an estimated $11.5 million per year, it ranks just above Oregon and behind Nevada. The state with the largest wagering for offshore online casino is California at $180 million.
Overview of Missouri Casinos
Gambling in Missouri is mostly confined to riverboat gambling which is most of the time a casino on a permanent floating fixture or at best permanently moored to a port. These casinos offer mostly slots with table games. The riverboat gambling originated from the 19th, as with many other states in the US, a blanket ban on gambling was enacted with exceptions/amendments then being applied by each state.
Historically one of the amendments that was quite limiting in Missouri for gamblers, is that the fact that casinos are only allowed $500 loss per player. This stems back to the conservative views narrowing gambling to small players, and not to extend out to high rollers. This law was removed in 2008.
A brief historical time line is shown below:
- 1980’s gambling for charity made it’s way into existence with Bingo halls and raffles.
- 1986 the State lottery was played
- Riverboat gambling first came into existence in 1992. The boats were required to physically leave port and set sail for at least two hours. And it was at this time that during the two hours players were limited to losses of $500.
- In 2008 taxes were increased to give more back to the community, and the limiting of losses to $500 was removed.
Take note of the following when playing at Missouri Casinos.
- Complimentary drinks are not allowed. Missouri state law bans “free” alcoholic drinks, and therefore drinks must be sold to patrons.
- 21 or above is the legal age to play at a Missouri Casino.
- Tax rate of 4% is applied if you win over $1,200. The Casino will withhold this percentage from your winnings and pass it on to the State Revenue. On your Income Tax Return, however, you will be able to claim this back.
Missouri Casinos
Missouri has 13 casinos in which you’ll find more than 19,214 slots and gaming machines.
Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City
3200 North Ameristar Drive, Kansas City, Missouri
The casino offers 140,000 square foot casino gambling floor with 2,578 slots and other gaming machines, 57 table games, a 15 table poker room and a luxurious 184 room hotel. Fun place; good people.
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles
1 Ameristar Boulevard, Saint Charles, Missouri
The 130,000 square foot casino floor has 2,567 of your favorite games as well as all of the latest and greatest video slots, progressives, video poker machines, 58 table games and 19 poker tables. Great rooms, great room service, nice casino.
Lumière Place Casino & Hotels
999 North 2nd Street, St. Louis, Missouri
The property features a 75,000 square foot casino on a single level with 2,000 slot machines, 55 gaming tables, and a dedicated 13 table poker room. Great rooms, friendly staff, good food, nice atmosphere. Competes with the Casino Queen across the border in Illinois, and wins hands down in regards to number of visitors.
Harrah’s North Kansas City Casino & Hotel
1 Riverboat Drive, North Kansas City, Missouri
Visitors here will find a casino floor that spans over 60,000 square feet offering over 1,500 slots, 46 table games, and a poker room with 15 tables and all of the amenities. Top notch gambling experience.
Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa
777 Northwest Argosy Casino Parkway, Riverside, Missouri
Today’s visitors will find 62,000 square feet of gaming space featuring over 1,500 slot and video poker machines and 37 table games including Craps, Roulette and much more. A variety of food options including Mexican, steaks, and a full buffet.
River City Casino
777 River City Casino Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri has an amazing 90,000 square foot casino gambling floor with over 2,000 slot machines, 55 table games and a 14 table poker room. Staff at the buffet were friendly & waiters were very attentive to the tables.
Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville
100 Isle of Capri Boulevard, Boonville, Missouri
Isle Casino and Hotel in Boonville, Missouri offers over 28,000 square feet of casino floor space with 900 slot machines and 19 table games. Great atmosphere and a variety of games in a small setting.
Mark Twain Casino – La Grange
104 Pierce Street, La Grange, Missouri
The casino has 18,000 square feet of gambling space featuring over 600 gaming machines and 13 gaming tables. Dining options are good for such a small casino.
Slot Machines
Similar to many other States in the mid-west, the ownership of slot machines is permitted but only if the age of the slot machines exceeds 30 years. This requirement is intended to ensure that slot machine ownership is for collecting and not for gambling profiteering. The intention of slot machine ownership is therefore as a hobby or as a collectors’ item.
Horse and Dog Racing
Although the State allows casinos and State Lottery, horse and dog racing is illegal. Therefore if you wish to gamble on Horse and Dog races you will need to go to the nearest State which offers it.
Sports Betting
Currently it is illegal for casino operators to provide Sports Betting to Missouri residents. However change is in the air. At the time of writing, Bill HB 119 has been put forward to the House to debate the legalization of Sports Betting. Unfortunately, the bill makes not mention of online sports betting, which is a vital channel for sports betting engagement.
Lottery
The State Lottery opened up to the public in 1986 and since then has grown to offer a wide variety of lottery games. The funds raised from lottery gaming goes to public service facilities, most recently assigned to public education – schools and colleges.
The State Lottery offers 9 types of gaming. They include the national lottery Mega Millions and Powerball. There are also various smaller Missouri State Lotteries such as Keno and Scratchies.
Missouri Online Casinos’s Gambling Laws Interpreted by a Lawyer
Missouri has a strong land-based gambling system but lags behind other states when it comes to legalizing online gambling as well as offline race betting. See Mo. Rev. Stat. § 572.010 et seq.; Mo. Rev. Stat. § 313.001 et seq.Sports Betting: Online betting on fantasy sports is now legal in Missouri, permitting FanDuel, DraftKings and others to operate within the state so long as they follow the regulations on operation. Though legislation is pending, (H.B. 191,) general sportsbook making, remains prohibited. Individuals who wish to make online sportsbooks, thus, must do so through platforms operating outside of the state.
Race Betting: Like in many states, horse betting is legal in Missouri at its racing tracks as well as other venues that allow pari-mutuel betting. Off-track betting is illegal. Thus, individuals who wish to make online race bets must do so through platforms operating outside of the state.
Online Gambling: The state has yet to pass an online poker or gambling bill, and, thus, similar forms of gambling remain unregulated. Thus, individuals wishing to participate in online gambling, including poker and other such games of skill, and who are twenty-one or older, must place bets online through licensed and regulated domestic and offshore platforms operating outside of the state. Gamblers should note that Missouri does have a history of prosecuting persons who violate its online gambling rules, targeting primarily professional players.
Online Gaming: Social online gaming and other online skill games through online portals like DoubleDown is accessible to Missouri residents.
Disclaimer: The information in this multi-state research is made available by a licensed, U.S. attorney, and is for informational purposes only. We make no representations that the information is complete or correct in its entirety. It should not be construed as providing specific legal advice, and you acknowledge that no attorney/client relationship exists between us. This brief should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed gambling and entertainment lawyer in your state.
Bordering States
Iowa | Illinois | Kentucky | Tennessee | Arkansas | Oklahoma | Kansas | Nebraska
Other Articles
Wikipedia: List of casinos in Missouri.
FAQ
While there are no locally licensed online casinos allowed in Missouri, there are plenty of offshore casinos that are safe to play at and do not prohibit residents from Missouri.
The minimum age is 21.