Two weeks before Missouri’s online sports betting market opens for business, DraftKings partnered up with the St. Louis Blues.
The operator announced on Thursday that it is now an official sports betting and daily fantasy operator for the NHL team. DraftKings has been an official betting, DFS and iGaming partner of the NHL itself since 2021.
As one of two direct sports wagering license holders in Missouri, along with Circa Sports, DraftKings didn’t need to partner with a pro sports team or a land-based casino in the state. But it now gains the right to use the Blues’ trademarks and logos in its marketing, gets visibility through brand integrations on TV and radio and will install in-arena signage at Enterprise Center.
Show-Me the RG
“As we get ready to launch our best-in-class online sportsbook for Missouri sports fans, we’re excited to deliver the fun and entertainment we’re known for in a responsible way, alongside the Blues,” DraftKings Chief Marketing Officer Stephanie Sherman. “The Blues’ strong fan base and forward-thinking mindset make them an ideal collaborator as we look to elevate the fan experience in Missouri.”
As part of the agreement, DraftKings will spotlight responsible gaming through a pregame, in-arena feature that provides access to DraftKings’ suite of responsible gaming tools.
“Providing Blues fans with the tools on how to play responsibly is a high priority for our organization as we all prepare for sports betting to launch in Missouri in December,” said the Blues Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer Steve Chapman. “Through the accessibility of these resources, and exclusive experiences and events designed for Blues fans beginning in December, our work with DraftKings will help educate customers on how to play responsibly while bringing them closer to their favorite hockey team.”
Once live, Missouri will be the 29th U.S. state where DraftKings in which regulated sports betting. It will soon offer sports prediction markets across most of the rest of the country, in states that have not yet legalized online sports betting.
Missouri market open for sign-ups
In accordance with the Missouri Gaming Commission’s ramp-up timeline, operators who have been approved for a license began allowing users in Missouri to register on Nov. 17 in advance of the market launch date.
In total, eight sportsbooks are authorized to begin taking bets when the state opens:
- bet365
- Fanatics
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- FanDuel
- DraftKings
- Circa
- theScore Bet (rebranded from ESPN Bet)
- Underdog
While DraftKings and Circa got the direct line, the other six needed casino or sports partnerships to gain market access. All nine approved sportsbooks will be taxed at 10% of their online sports betting revenue in Missouri.
Sports betting state of play
Caesars and PENN Entertainment’s theScore Bet have access through their companies’ respective existing brick-and-mortar casinos in the state. BetMGM partnered with land-based operator Century Casinos in May and Fanatics confirmed Boyd Gaming as its tether in August.
On the sports side, bet365 was first to announce its partner, the St. Louis Cardinals, back in March. FanDuel signed a deal with Major League Soccer team St. Louis City in August, shortly after being denied one of the two untethered licenses. Underdog announced a multi-year partnership with the Kansas City Royals in late September.
Caesars, PENN, Fanatics and BetMGM have all been approved for retail sports betting as well as digital.
The MGC can hand out up to 19 retail sports betting licenses and up to 14 online sports betting licenses. Other notable sports betting brand names such as BetRivers and Hard Rock Bet are missing from the licensee list, and a Rush Street Interactive representative told SBC Americas that it is not planning to launch BetRivers in Missouri.
