Cape Girardeau Casino opens first retail BetMGM Sportsbook in the region
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The path to legal sports wagering has been long in Missouri but the wait is over.
The process began in November 2024 where voters narrowly passed Amendment 2-a constitutional amendment to allow online and retail sports betting.
On December 1, 2025, sports betting is officially live in the state of Missouri, giving residents the ability to place wages on sports, something that was only legal in a handful of surrounding states until now.
After 13 months of a regulatory process retail and online sports betting became legal in the show me state. According to the sportsbook review 250,000 sportsbook accounts were created in the first 24 hours of it becoming legal.
Lyle Randolph is the Vice President and General Manager of Century Casino in Cape Girardeau where they just opened the regions only retail sports betting location.
“November of last year, voters in Missouri passed sports betting, and it allowed us to open up retail sportsbooks in online, betting platforms for sports wagering and one of those things that’s, come about is the BetMGM Sportsbook here in cape” says Randolph.
Under the regulations for the state of Missouri those betting must be 21, and there are limitations on betting on college players.
“One of the limitations here in Missouri is you can bet on collegiate games, but what you’re unable to bet on is the specific actions of a single collegiate player” says Randolph.
Each state has their own set of regulations, but Missouri differs from Illinois which allows for Illinoisians to come to Missouri and have more of a variety on sports bets especially on college sports betting.
“One of the differences we have here in Missouri, is that we are allowed to place wagers on collegiate sports, even in-state teams, not individual player activity, but certainly the in-state teams. For instance, in Illinois, you’re unable to wager on collegiate athletics, for in-state, teams there, like, SIU” says Randolph.
BetMGM Sportsbook retail is up and running and available for all betting needs in Cape Girardeau.
A ribbon cutting to showcase the new area will be held Friday December 5, morning at 9:00 am inside the Century Casino.
BetMGM Sports betting online along with multiple other licensed Sportsbooks is available 24 hours a day Missouri.
According to tax information in surrounding states such as Illinois and Tennessee they have been able to use tax revenue from sports betting in multiple major ways, from education enhancements to transportation and infostructure.
“The benefit really for the, for cape Girardeau area is that this is on the gaming floor and obviously tax moneys are generated through every person that walks through the turnstile. So, there’ll be, anybody that comes into place a wager, here at the retail sportsbook, there will be tax dollars generated for the city of Cape Girardeau” Randolph.
Missouri Amendment 2, Sports Betting Initiative (2024) – Ballotpedia
