Online Casinos in Missouri

The 21st largest U.S. state, Missouri is defined by Missouri and Mississippi rivers on the banks of which 13 riverboat casinos are built. Economy-wise, the average income per capita in the Show-Me State has been steadily rising from the beginning of the century to come close to $50,000 in 2019. But gambling could do much better: the revenues from games of chance and games of skill are much lower than expected, which signifies the lack of proper regulations on some types of games. The major areas for improvement are online gambling (unregulated) and both forms of sports betting (banned altogether). The good news is, though, that the updated set of sports betting laws is already in review, which gives us hope for a better future.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in Missouri

You might think online gambling is prohibited in Missouri, but that only applies to online sports betting. In 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act was adopted by Congress to prohibit all forms of online gambling, but it was revoked in 2011 by the Justice Department’s memorandum stating that the ban can only be applied to online sports betting.

At the time of writing, there are no Missouri online gambling laws that would forbid local players to access offshore casinos. Neither the Missouri Gaming Commission nor the Missouri Lottery Commission explicitly defines online gambling as unlawful in the existing statutes, which is why – answering the popular question ‘is online gambling legal in Missouri’ – we can only assume that players from Missouri are entitled to act up to their knowledge and their own interpretation of the state provisions on gambling.

Note that the opinion on the lawfulness of online gambling depends on how you read the law. As for us – that is, the team of SlotsUp – we do believe playing at offshore casinos from Missouri is safe for the following reasons:

• There is no explicit prohibition on playing at international casinos.
• No one has ever been punished for playing online in Missouri.
• There are dozens of credible offshore online casinos accepting punters from Missouri.

Sports Betting in Missouri

The new era in U.S. sports betting began on 14 May 2018 when the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) to allow the U.S. states to regulate in-state sports betting independently. Since then more than 20 states have legalized sports betting to meet the demand coming from local bettors and establish an additional source of income for the state.

As for Missouri, it still determines sports betting as an unlawful activity, though there’s hope to see sports betting legalized in the state in the nearest future. The legalization bill (H 2318) has failed to pass two times so far – in 2018 and in 2019 – but as time goes by, the state misses income from sports betting, and the chances for the bill to pass grow.

However, whether that is 2020, 2021, or 2022 to become the watershed moment for sports betting, you must be more interested in what is available now, that is, safe offshore online sportsbooks, the best of which are included in our list of top online casinos in Missouri.

Interesting Facts about Online Gambling in Missouri

The emergence of gambling in Missouri dates back to 1980 when charitable bingo halls and raffles were legalized. They were followed by the state lottery (1986) and riverboat gambling (1992). The latter, though, was instantly struck down for two years until the Missouri Riverboat Gambling Amendment was taken in 1994. As of today, riverboat gambling accounts for the lion’s share of gambling in Missouri. There are 13 riverboat casinos in the Show-Me State, and there’s even a law allowing the creation of artificial ponds for riverboat gambling.

As for online gambling, its history is yet to be written. There are neither Missouri online gambling laws nor the body responsible for online gambling (the Missouri Gaming Commission or the Missouri Lottery Commission should probably take the responsibility in the future), which is why local players are left with their own thoughts on whether they are allowed to gamble online.

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in Missouri

The problem gambling treatment fund in Missouri is administered by the Missouri Department of Mental Health. One cent from every casino entrance fee goes to the fund to develop programs and provide help to problem gamblers and their families. The problem gambling helpline is led by the Missouri Gaming Association (MGA) with help from the Missouri Lottery. The fact sheet on problem gambling in Missouri is available by the link.

In addition, there are nationwide resources that you can reach for help:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-522-4700, chat: ncpgambling.org/chat.
• Gamblers Anonymous, an experience-sharing fellowship fighting gambling addiction and gambling-related problems.
• Gam-Anon, a self-help organization for compulsive gamblers.
• GamTalk, an online support forum.

The best help is, though, your consciousness when playing on US gambling sites, and awareness of the possible unfavorable consequences of excessive gambling.

While online gambling in Missouri is dozing, its land-based predecessor is actively developing. There are 13 riverboat casinos in the state – and there are plans to build more – where you can find all the imaginable types of gambling barring pari-mutuel betting and sports betting, both forbidden in Missouri.

If we were asked about the casino to attend in the first place, we would stick with either Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, or Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles, or River City Casino & Hotel, all three are top-notch gambling destinations with all the bells and whistles you could dream of.

Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City

If Alice in Wonderland is your only association with Kansas City, you are likely a stranger to gambling since otherwise, you would also recall Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, a classy 140,000-square-foot casino with 2,800 slots, 57 table games, and a special live poker room with 15 poker tables.

The facility opened in 1997 as Station Casino and was rebranded to its current title in 2000 after it was bought by Ameristar Casinos. As of now, the venue encompasses all the range of games and amenities needed for comfortable, multi-hour gambling. Buffets, bars, and restaurants are scattered around the premises so that you can instantly get an energy boost, whereas numerous meeting facilities entertain you as well as allow you to combine pleasure with business.

Whether it is a penny slot or a table game that you are searching for, you can find it among the all-embracing package of gaming titles available at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City. Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Paid Gow Poker, Baccarat, and of course slots topped with luscious promotions create a unique gambling ambiance that you won’t want to part with.

Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles

With more than 5.5 million annual visitors, Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles is one of the most visited attractions in Missouri. The venue occupies a space of 130,000 square feet and provides 400 rooms including suites, seven restaurants, 12 bars, a spa, and a vast 12,000-square-foot site for events. Gaming-wise, there are over 2,000 slot machines, hundreds of gaming tables, and even a dedicated poker room.

• Slots. Myriads of state-of-the-art slots along with a high-limit salon encompass all types of plots and features that could ever come to your mind. The hottest titles are Lightning Link, Dancing Drums, Dragon Link, Fortunes & Gold Bonanza, and a few more.
• Table games. Whether it is 20x odds on craps or a high-limit blackjack table that you’ve come here for, friendly dealers provide you with the utmost comfort of play and explain the game nuances if needed. The range of table games includes blackjack, poker, roulette, baccarat, craps, and other table games that you would expect to find at a modern casino.

Last but not least, don’t forget to take advantage of Daily Jackpots and other promo offers brewing at Ameristar Casino Resort Spa St. Charles.

River City Casino & Hotel

Interested in thematic gambling? Then River City Casino & Hotel might be your choice since it is wrapped in the theme of the 1904 World Fair, an epic cultural event known to every St. Louis resident.

The gaming space covers 90,000 square feet and employs about 2,000 slots and 55 gaming tables representing blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and baccarat. There’s a sports bar, a music venue, and a 75-seat lounge around the gaming premises, and more restaurants and bars across the complex.

• Slots. Want some juicy titles? Here you go Tarzan, Buffalo Diamond, Lightning Link, Dragon Link, Jin Ji Bao Xi. Popular slots, electronic table games, video poker, and less-known machines are scattered around the casino floor.
• Table games. From Blackjack to Baccarat, 55 gaming tables contain all the games & features you need and then some. Needless to say, the range of denominators is flexible so that you can easily pick the game up to your budget and style.

Dreaming of freebies? Then take a glance at the casino promo page.

Once you deal with the fact that online gambling in Missouri is non-existent in its legal form, you can proceed to select the best offshore casino. And we are glad to help you with that!

Below are three top-notch casinos to play with your money or even bonus funds that they provide (some casinos grant no-deposit bonuses, so you can win real money even without topping up your casino account).

• 21Dukes. If reliability is what you count on when picking an online casino, then 21Dukes is one of the best possible choices. With 30 years of history behind, this high-profile venue is still outperforming its younger peers by providing gambling services of the highest rank, including blood-chilling welcome bonuses and VIP programs. While the former might be irrelevant to you as a new player, the no-deposit bonus of 25 free spins is what you should be eager to take advantage of. And if you want more, then you might consider doubling up your initial deposit with a generous 200% first-deposit bonus.
• Mars. You don’t have to be Elon Musk to find your luck on Mars. Truth be told, you won’t even need to invent things to travel to the mysterious universe of gambling on the red planet – just sign up for Mars Casino and make your first deposit to receive a lucrative 100% first-deposit bonus plus 50 free spins. Gaming-wise, the casino represents slots and table games by more than 20 software developers, so there’s no chance you get bored here.
• Golden Lion. Want to deposit with BTC? No problem – register at Golden Lion and triple your balance with your first BTC deposit! The casino offers a ludicrously generous first deposit 300% welcome bonus that you can’t pass by. From the overarching range of features to daily tournaments, Golden Lion has it all to make your gambling exciting, fun, and – may luck be with you – profitable.

If it happens that you don’t like the casinos above, then we would recommend you to navigate to the full list of Missouri online casinos and explore more options there.