PENN Entertainment to open sportsbooks at its two casinos in Missouri

PENN Entertainment is preparing to open retail sportsbooks at its two casinos in Missouri, recent company job postings suggest, signaling its intention to be a key player in the state’s soon-to-launch legal sports betting market.

The company has posted job listings for sportsbook managers at Hollywood Casino St. Louis and River City Casino, both located in the St. Louis metro area. PENN also confirmed its Argosy Riverside property in Kansas City will host a sportsbook. 

The moves come ahead of Missouri’s December 1 launch date for legal sports betting, which will make it the 39th U.S. state to allow such wagering. Under the state’s 2024 constitutional amendment, licensed casinos can also partner with mobile sportsbooks, paving the way for PENN to roll out ESPN BET, its digital sports betting platform, statewide.

The job postings represent one of the clearest indicators yet that PENN intends to operate both retail and mobile sportsbooks in Missouri. ESPN BET, operated by PENN under license from Disney-owned ESPN, would enter a competitive mobile betting market that is expected to feature roughly a dozen operators.

While FanDuel and DraftKings are seen as frontrunners to secure the state’s two untethered mobile licenses, other companies such as bet365, BetMGM, and Underdog are seeking market access through partnerships with local casinos or sports teams. PENN, through its own properties, appears well-positioned to bypass such partnerships.

Retail sportsbook development in Missouri remains limited. As of now, only three in-person books have been confirmed: the two at PENN casinos and one near Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, which has partnered with bet365. Century Casinos, which signed a market access deal with BetMGM, has indicated it may open retail books, though plans are not yet confirmed.

Despite Missouri law allowing for more combined retail casino and in-stadium sportsbooks than any other U.S. state, most operators and sports franchises have yet to announce in-person betting operations. Notably, major teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis City SC have not disclosed any sportsbook partnerships.

With more than 90% of U.S. sports bets now placed online, the emphasis for most operators remains on mobile platforms. However, PENN’s investment in retail books suggests a dual strategy targeting both physical foot traffic and the growing digital market.

The Missouri Gaming Commission is set to announce the winners of the two untethered licenses on August 15, with additional license announcements expected before the official market launch in December.