Missouri has officially launched legal sports betting, becoming the 39th American state to do so. The move comes at a time when the industry's rapid expansion is under intense scrutiny following a string of high-profile scandals centred on proposition bets.
Prop Bets: The Heart of the Controversy
From Monday 1st December 2025, Missouri residents can legally place wagers on sporting events. However, one notable restriction is in place: bets on the individual performance of athletes, known as proposition or "prop" bets, are prohibited for games involving Missouri-based college or university teams. This rule, while less sweeping than outright bans in some other states, highlights a major area of concern as legal sports betting continues its spread across the United States.
The launch follows a period rocked by scandal. Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were charged with accepting bribes to throw specific pitches. Separately, an NBA player was arrested over an alleged scheme to leak inside information to gamblers. Furthermore, the NCAA revoked the eligibility of six men's college basketball players accused of manipulating their in-game performance. All these incidents are linked to prop bets, where wagers are placed on individual player actions, such as strikeouts in baseball or points scored in basketball.
Joe Maloney, Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications for the American Gaming Association, noted that prop bets are "an increasingly popular way to provide engagement for any type of fan." Data from West Virginia University's Center for Gaming Research and Development supports this, showing that during a one-month period this summer, prop bets made up over half of all wagers on a major platform.
Regulatory Patchwork and Addiction Concerns
There is no national standard for prop bets. While wagers on professional athletes are currently allowed in every state with legal sports betting, rules for college athletes vary wildly. Over a dozen states place no limits, while an equal number prohibit all collegiate prop bets. Missouri joins over half a dozen states with a prohibition that applies only to in-state college teams.
Experts warn that the fast-paced nature of prop betting carries risks. Research professor Rachel Volberg of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a decades-long gambling studies expert, stated that prop bets "speed up the ability to make multiple bets," increasing the risk of addictive behaviour for some. Missouri's new legislation allocates at least $5 million annually to problem gambling services.
The state's betting framework was approved by voters last year following a record $43 million campaign, funded almost entirely by industry giants DraftKings and FanDuel. Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for the Sports Betting Alliance, defended the compromise on prop bets, saying, "We thought this was a good middle ground that had worked in other states and that would uphold the integrity of the games here."
A New Era for Missouri Bettors
For Missouri residents like Brett Koenig from suburban St. Louis, the launch ends the need for cross-border trips to place legal bets in Illinois or Kansas. "I'm ecstatic to have the opportunity to do it, and to not have to drive 45 minutes across the river," Koenig said, planning to bet on an NFL game from his home.
The Missouri Gaming Commission has a small team dedicated to regulating the new market. However, the primary responsibility for detecting fraudulent activity falls to the betting operators, who work with sports leagues and law enforcement. In response to the recent scandals, Major League Baseball has already agreed with leading sportsbooks to cap bets on individual pitches at $200.
Despite the controversies, the industry continues to grow. The American Gaming Association reports that sports betting operators took in over $11 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, a rise of more than 13% from the same period last year. As Missouri enters this lucrative market, the balance between economic opportunity, consumer protection, and sporting integrity remains a pressing challenge.
