Fanatics Sportsbook to Enter Missouri through Partnership with Boyd Gaming

The excitement around Missouri's 2025 December 1 mobile sports betting launch is reaching a fever pitch, as Fanatics Sportsbook has secured a deal with Boyd Gaming to gain access to the Show Me State. This partnership will give Fanatics Sportsbook the licensure and necessary permissions to launch mobile sports betting and retail sportsbooks, the latter of which it can do at Boyd Gaming's Ameristar Casinos.

Fanatics will rub shoulders with the other big players ahead of the imminent launch. These include the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, and BetMGM. If more are set to follow, which they could be, Missouri looks set to be one of the most competitive states for sports betting. The subject of legal sports betting was put to a public vote back in 2024, and the Amendment was passed into law in December. Now, Missouri is set to become the 39th state to legalize sports betting, and the 31st to open its doors to mobile sports betting.

What This Means for Fanatics

Fanatics Sportsbook is one of the big players in America's sports betting industry, with an active online presence in 23 states, with Missouri set to become state number 24, only 3 states behind DraftKings. BetFanatics, the online sportsbook, is hugely popular across the US for its great depth of sports betting markets and sports coverage, as well as providing FanCash cashback offers.

What started as a licensed sports merch and collectibles company has swollen into a digital sports powerhouse. When Fanatics Inc acquired PointsBet US in 2023, it expanded its services and launched the Fanatics Sportsbook, which took off instantly. Fanatics Sportsbook has been quick to get in on the action in states that recently legalized sports betting, including Vermont and North Carolina in 2024.

The agreement with Boyd Gaming will give Fanatics Sportsbook a multi-year market access to Missouri, and it gives the sportsbook the opportunity to open retail sportsbooks at either of Boyd Gaming's Ameristar Casinos, one in Kansas City and the other in St. Charles (just outside St. Louis).

Boyd Gaming’s New Chapter

For Boyd Gaming, the deal with Fanatics is equally significant. Boyd, a well-established regional casino operator (NYSE: BYD), has long been known for properties like Ameristar Kansas City and Ameristar St. Charles. Until recently, Boyd also held a minority stake in FanDuel, one of the largest sportsbooks in the country. That 5% stake was sold back to Flutter Entertainment for $1.8 billion, leaving Boyd free to explore fresh partnerships in the sports betting space.

By teaming up with Fanatics, Boyd Gaming gains a new ally to drive foot traffic into its casinos while ensuring it stays relevant in the increasingly digital-first betting ecosystem. The retail sportsbooks inside Ameristar properties will give Missouri bettors a physical home base, while Fanatics handles the mobile expansion.

Missouri's Future Sports Betting Scene

Missouri’s approach to sports betting involves two types of licenses:

• Untethered licenses ($500,000 fee): These allow companies to operate independently, with no need for a local casino or team partner. So far, only DraftKings and Circa Sports have taken this path.

• Tethered licenses ($250,000 fee): These require partnerships with casinos or professional sports teams. Fanatics’ deal with Boyd Gaming is one example.

Other operators making moves in Missouri include:

• FanDuel, partnering with MLS club St. Louis CITY SC.

• Bet365, teaming up with the St. Louis Cardinals.

• BetMGM, pairing with Century Casinos.

• Underdog, which has applied but not yet named a partner.

With regulators prepared to issue up to 14 tethered licenses, Missouri could quickly become one of the most crowded sports betting markets in the country.

What to Expect in Missouri

Of course, whether or not all 14 licenses up for grabs will be snapped up by US sportsbooks remains to be seen. But the interest in Missouri is not to be underestimated, not from a player's perspective or an operator's one. Because the state, famous for its high profile soccer, baseball and football franchises, looks set to take to all new heights.

If Missouri can find 14 candidates for its sports betting licenses, it could easily rival the likes of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee, and Indiana, all of which have 12 to 13 legal US sportsbooks, and if all 14 slots are filled, it would tie with Michigan and Virginia. While it may not be among the most populous states in the US, Missouri is well-situated and could be an influential player in America's expanding sports betting industry.

A New Midwestern Hotspot

The entry of heavyweights like Fanatics, DraftKings, FanDuel, Bet365, and BetMGM ensures Missouri will debut as one of the most competitive sports betting states in the U.S. The variety of tethered partnerships, from casinos to pro sports teams, means consumers will have multiple ways to engage.

Fanatics’ Expanding Ecosystem

Fanatics’ integration of merchandise, trading cards, and digital experiences with sports betting is unlike any other operator’s marketing strategy. Missouri is the latest step in its effort to build a full-circle fan economy, where a Cardinals fan, for example, might buy a jersey, collect a digital trading card, and place a bet—all within the Fanatics ecosystem.

Boyd Gaming’s Reinvention

Boyd’s willingness to pivot away from its FanDuel stake toward new alliances highlights the ongoing evolution of regional casinos in a digital-first market. With Fanatics as a partner, Boyd ensures its properties remain a destination for bettors while also linking its brand to one of the most ambitious growth stories in sports tech.

Broader Industry Signals

The Missouri rollout also reflects broader trends:

• Sports betting expansion is now part of mainstream U.S. policy, with Missouri becoming the 39th state to legalize.

• Partnerships between sportsbooks and pro teams are becoming increasingly common, cementing betting as part of the sports entertainment ecosystem.

• Operators face growing regulatory scrutiny and will need to double down on responsible gambling safeguards to maintain public trust.

What's Next for Fanatics and Boyd Gaming

Fanatics’ partnership with Boyd Gaming is more than just a licensing arrangement. It’s a blueprint for how legacy casinos and next-generation digital sports platforms can work together to shape the future of betting. With Missouri on track for a December launch, the state will become a fascinating test case for Fanatics’ vision of merging sports commerce with wagering, while offering Boyd a fresh chapter in its long casino history.

The big takeaway? Missouri is not just adding another sports betting market. No, the state that is home to the NFL‘s Kansas City Chiefs, the MLB‘s St. Louis Cardinals, and Sporting Kansas City (MLS), could unlock tremendous sports betting markets and revenue. It could possibly inspire more Midwest States to pass sports betting bills. Whatever the case, we will be following the news about Missouri, and the Fanatics Boyd merger closely, and bring you all the updates you need to know as they arrive.