Author:
Ashley
Last Updated:
02/10/2024
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
Topic:
US States
Experiences:
CA born, casino expert
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Are you looking to find out everything that there is to know about online casinos in MO? If so, you’ve come to the right place here at Las Vegas-How-To.com!
As well as directing you towards the best online MO casinos, our experts will also clue you up on the current legal situation in the Show-Me State. For those interested, we’ll also provide a rundown of the state’s recent history with gambling, and help you to find the online casino games that suit your tastes.
We don’t want to state the obvious, but the truth really is in the name of the title of this article. That is to say, if you currently reside in Missouri, and are in any way interested in online casinos, then this article is for you.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a high rolling, seasoned pro of the online casino world who’s looking to switch providers, or a complete newbie to the whole concept of online casinos. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Perhaps you’ve just made a trip to Vegas, caught the bug and now you want to keep gambling from the comfort of your Missouri home? Whatever your reasons for being here and your experience level, we’re 100% confident this article can help you out.
If you’re totally new to the world of online casinos in Missouri, then this article will introduce you to the concept. Starting off with the current legal situation and how it affects online gambling in MO, we’ll then provide you with our top tips to getting you started in online casino gambling. Once the basics are out of the way, we’ll help you to eventually find an online casino site in MO that is exactly right for your needs and wants.
Intermediate online casino users and experienced gamblers can also make use of this article though. If you’re fed up with your current provider and are looking to switch, we’ve reviewed all of the casino sites currently in operation here in the state of Missouri. With such a wide selection, we’re confident that we can ultimately direct you towards a site that’s got everything you want to keep from your old provider, as well as the missing aspect that you’re seeking.
The state of Missouri has a very interesting relationship with gambling, as a century of unregulated gambling freedom was followed by almost eight decades of strict prohibition. Today, in 2024, things are moving in the right direction, with a live and regulated gambling industry now to be found once more in the Show-Me State.
The 19th century was a frivolous one for Missouri in terms of gambling, as there was no regulation written into state law or the constitution. As a result, betting at horse racing tracks and riverboat casinos both flourished. Given the lack of regulation or licensing system, it was very easy for budding entrepreneurs to enter into the industry.
This all ended in 1905, when legislators in the State of Missouri finally decided that enough was enough. All forms of booking operations became criminalized activities under state law, and the riverboat casinos were mostly shut down quickly.
This strict zero-tolerance approach to gambling continued for 79 years. Then, in 1984, Missouri established its first official state lottery, bringing with it the means to license and regulate horse racing and track betting. Live races and pari-mutuel betting was once again allowed to thrive in the state. Eight years later, in 1992, local authorities in Missouri gave riverboat casinos the greenlight to return, though with strict regulation and a limited number of licenses to be given out.
Today, in 2024, the casinos have managed to outlive the racetracks. Although initially popular when they were first reintroduced in 1984, the numbers of people betting at racetracks has been in steady decline since the return of riverboat casinos in 1992. As a result, all of the racetracks in Missouri have now closed down while the number of riverboat casinos continues to grow.
While the riverboat casino scene in Missouri is very much alive, legalized and regulated things remain a bit more complicated in the online sphere. As is the case in many US states, the issue of online casinos in Missouri remains something of a grey area.
Unlike states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado, Missouri lawmakers haven’t, as of 2024, made any moves to legalize and regulate online sports wagering, casinos or online slots MO. Therefore, as the current law stands, any online gambling operation run from within Missouri state lines is illegal, and those running it would face prosecution.
When the grey area appears is when it comes to playing in online casinos. There’s nothing in Missouri state law that specifically states that state residents can’t play on overseas casinos. This has led many overseas-based betting sites to interpret the law in their favor and offer their services to Missourans.
To date, no individual players have been prosecuted for playing in overseas-based casinos from within Missouri state borders. However, as we said, this is something of a grey area, and so there’s always a risk using overseas online casinos – even if they are licensed and regulated in the country where they are based. As a result, we recommend waiting until online gambling is properly legalized, licensed and regulated by the MO authorities.
Since online gambling was given the green light at federal level back in 2018, many states have made moves to legalize online gambling at least in some form. Meanwhile, a great many others have the wheels in motion to introduce it in the very near future. Given that Missouri has shown itself to be a progressive state in the recent past with regards to pari-mutuel horse race betting and riverboat casinos, we’re confident that legal online casinos will be approved in MO very soon.
As we’ve mentioned above, the only online casinos currently available to Missouri players (somewhat) legally, are based overseas. As using overseas sites from within Missouri is something of a legal technicality, rather than an activity that has explicitly been given the green light by law, we’ve chosen not to recommend any overseas online casinos to you today. Whilst MO authorities turn something of a blind eye to offshore gambling, others are a little more harsh. If you are caught playing at online casinos South Carolina, for example, you will be prosecuted.
Instead, for our editor’s recommendation, we’ve chosen to be optimistic and look to the future. The betting site that we’ve provided you with details about below is the one we think is most likely to offer its casino services online when online casinos are finally legalized in MO.
If you’re a fan of the riverboat casino scene in Missouri, then you’ve most likely already heard of Harrah’s casino. Harrah’s is one of the biggest casino brands in the US and has a riverboat casino in Kansas City. Additionally, you’ll find a number of other Harrah’s casino resorts across America, with the biggest being in Las Vegas.
Harrah’s also has an online casino that’s available in a number of legal US gambling states. Given its large-scale riverboat casino in Kansas City, we believe that Harrah’s would be at the front of the queue to obtain an online casino license in Missouri once they are legalized. This would be excellent, as Harrah’s offers a top-quality online casino, from a trusted brand. It’s a name worth looking out for when online casinos in Wisconsin are made legal, or for any other US state currently in the same position as MO for that matter. You therefore can rely on the quality of the games at Harrah’s and rest assured that the site will be completely safe and secure to use.
The legality of using online casinos in Missouri might be something of a gray area at the moment. However, we are sure that full legalization and regulation are on the very near horizon. So that you’re ready when the time comes, we’ve provided you with our top five tips to ensure that you have a safe and secure experience when using online casinos in MO, or looking for the best online casinos NV – or any other US state for that matter.
We’re all about delivering 100% transparency here at LVH.com, which is why we’d now like you to take an exclusive peek behind the curtains. Below, you can find a list, alongside detailed explanations of all the most important criteria that your experts take into consideration when rating and reviewing online casinos in Missouri.
Bonuses might not be the most important thing about an online casino, however they are the first thing that the majority of players look for. Therefore it’s also usually the first thing that appears in front of you when you land on an online casino website. Bonuses in online casinos come in many different shapes and sizes, with matched deposits and free spins being the most popular today.
The majority of welcome bonuses will naturally look tempting in the advert, as they always show the maximum amount that you can claim. What we do when evaluating online casino bonuses, is read the terms and conditions carefully before testing the bonus in practice ourselves. That way, we can truly tell you if a bonus really is worth your while as a player.
Probably the most important criteria when it comes to evaluating the actual online casino website itself. For starters here, we want the site to be fit for purpose at the very least. That means that it should be easy to navigate and make all areas of the site accessible. Additionally, a slick site design should make the process of signing up and playing games seamless from start to finish. Bonus points do of course go to the online casinos with a strong brand identity and those that are pleasing to the eye.
There are a few things that our experts look for when evaluating the banking area of an online casino site. First of all, we want to look at the range of deposit and withdrawal options available. No one wants to pay by card in 2024, so we want to see a range of alternatives being offered, such as Neteller, Skrill, and Paysafecard.
Once we’re happy with the range of payment options available, we look at the terms and conditions. What we’re looking for are quick withdrawal processing times (deposits are almost always instant nowadays) and no fees charged from the side of the casino.
Even on the best online casinos, you’re probably going to encounter an issue and require some form of help along the way. That’s why a good customer service team is a vital aspect for any online casino in our eyes. As important as the actual quality of the customer service itself, are the channels through which you can reach them. At the very least, we want to see a good live chat widget, an accessible toll free phone number and a dedicated help email address.
Not the most exciting part of any online casino evaluation, but most certainly the most important. Here in the US, online casinos have to have a valid license and be regulated in every single state in which they offer their services. As part of many state regulations, their online security measures have to be up to scratch. However, this doesn’t stop our experts from double-checking them ourselves.
We all love a good welcome bonus, however that’s only the start of your journey. As online casino players, and as consumers in society in general, we want to be justly rewarded for our custom. That’s why online casinos with a good VIP program or loyalty rewards scheme always get rated higher in our evaluations.
Here at LVH.com, our experts like to go the extra mile when helping you to choose an online casino. That is to say, we don’t merely want to put all of the available options in front of you and leave you to sift through them. Instead, our online casino evaluations are created with the individual gambler in mind. As a result, we feel that gamblers of all tastes and experience levels will be able to find their ideal operator in the end with us.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned high roller who’s looking for a new place to bet, or you’re completely new to the whole concept of online casinos. Similarly, our guides can also help gamblers of all ages – from fresh-faced 21 years olds just starting out, to the over 60s who are looking to move from the offline to the online world of casinos.
And so there you have it – the somewhat complex but promising situation regarding the current status of online casinos in MO. Although you can still technically play in overseas-based online casinos as things currently stand, we would like to advise you against doing so. Things are moving in a very progressive direction in Missouri, and so we hope to see legally licensed and regulated online casinos in the Show-Me State very soon.