With access to gambling increasing, the United States is seeing a rise in states that allow sports betting. For Missourians, sports betting became legal on Dec. 1, 2025, making Missouri the 39th state to do so. Before Amendment 2, the amendment to the Missouri Constitution regarding the legalization of sports betting, was passed, many individuals would cross state lines in order to place bets on various sports games.
Derek Durst, a Ballwin resident, told Saint Louis Public Radio that he knows several people who crossed state lines into Illinois or Kansas to bet on various games.
“It’s not the worst thing to keep the money in [Missouri] for taxes. But it wasn’t really based on that. I just kind of wanted [betting] legal here, because it’s inconvenient to drive to Illinois,” Durst said.
The legal age for betting in Missouri is 21 years old, but there are various platforms to avoid this age minimum. One way to get around the legal age is using the platform Underdog. Due to the classification of Underdog as a ‘Daily Fantasy Sports’ platform, in contrast to typical sports betting, the age limit for Underdog is only 18 years old in Missouri. A student at Summit said that they use Underdog to bet on sports.
“[I bet on] Underdog a few times a week,” the student said.
With more betting apps popping up, citizens have much easier access to gambling. There are dozens of platforms in which people can bet on sports, some of the most popular being FanDuel, DraftKings, and Underdog. According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 2.5 million Americans have severe gambling problems. The Harvard Gazette noted that gambling addiction hotlines have seen an increase in calls, as the median age of callers gets younger and younger. However, the National Library of Medicine (NHI) gathered that of those addicted to gambling, teenagers are less likely to call for help.
In Missouri, money gained by sports betting is mostly directed towards education and gambling addiction treatment. Due to a 10% tax on adjusted gross receipts, CBS Sports projects that Missouri will net about $20-$28 million in taxes annually.
