The Missouri Gaming Commission says it is planning to open the sports betting license application process by May 15. The MGC has posted the announcement on its website as it continues the process of launching live sports wagering. State’s licensing rules set to go into effect Aug. 30  Missouri sports betting was approved via state Amendment 2 last fall by a margin of less than 3,000 votes. That amendment set a Dec. 1, 2025 deadline for sports wagering to go live, but an fast-track operator licensing request was denied in February by Sec. of State Denny Hoskins.  As a result, the MGC says the state’s official licensing rules won’t go into effect until Aug. 30 to allow for a public comment period. And with the operator application process opening in mid-May, it will give the MGC a three-plus-month window to review applications. “The commission intends to work with our stakeholders to make license applications available on May 15 so that interested parties can start the process gathering the necessary documents to complete their applications,” the MGC posted in its sports wagering update on its website. “Our licensing rules are scheduled to become effective August 30, so this interim period from May 15 to August 30 will help ensure that the commission has time to properly review applications before decisions are made and temporary licenses are issued. With this timeline, sports wagering will go live by the constitutionally required start date of December 1, 2025.” MLB's Cardinals partner with bet365 Sportsbook U.S. sports betting industry leaders such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM are expected to apply for licenses in Missouri. Amendment 2 also stipulates that all 13 of the Show Me State’s physical casinos can each apply for licenses to operate sportsbooks. Additionally, each of the state’s six professional sports franchises — the NFL’s Chiefs, MLB’s Royals and NWSL’s Current in Kansas City and the MLB’s Cardinals, NHL’s Blues and the MLS St. Louis City SC in St. Louis — can also operate sports-gambling “districts” near their home stadiums. The Cardinals made a move on March 24, announcing a partnership with bet365 Sportsbook. As detailed by our partner site Legal Sports Report, the Cardinals-bet365 partnership is a multi-year deal containing advertising rights across the team's media and Busch Stadium.  Bet365 will also sponsor the team’s starting lineups during home games and the second-level, "all-inclusive bet365 Bridge" in the stadium's right-center field.  Meanwhile, with Missouri’s licensing rules going into effect in late-August, the go-live date figures to comfortably beat the Dec. 1 deadline.  But that timeframe still leaves many wondering if the state will have betting available for the start of the NFL season on Thursday, Sept. 4. The three-time-defending AFC-champion Chiefs will likely open a few days later on Sunday, Sept. 7 or Monday, Sept. 8. Overall, the ever-popular NFL continues to generate one of the highest sports betting handles among major U.S. pro and college leagues and sports despite a comparatively small number of total games.