Bet365 Announces Partnership With St. Louis Cardinals

British bookmaker bet365 has announced a partnership with MLB’s St. Louis Cardinals ahead of a mobile sports betting launch in the Show Me State later this year.

Home Run Partnership

Missouri voters narrowly approved sports betting in November, paving the way for a launch of retail and mobile sports betting later this year. But had it not been for the collective efforts of the state’s professional sports franchises, there is an excellent possibility Missourians would not be betting at all this year.

The legislative gridlock that prevented a sports betting amendment from being passed was circumvented by a political action committee (PAC), Winning for Missouri Education, established by the franchises led by Bill DeWitt III, president of the St. Louis Cardinals. Ultimately, the PAC got enough signatures to get the sports betting referendum on the ballot, and it was passed by the narrowest of margins.

The incentive for DeWitt and the other franchises like the Royals, Blues, Chiefs, Current, and City FC to bring sports betting to Missouri was to create another revenue stream through sponsorships with mobile sportsbooks entering the market. Thus, the recently announced multi-year marketing agreement making bet365 the first Official Mobile Sports Betting Partner of the St. Louis Cardinals is the endgame DeWitt sought from the very beginning.

Launch Delayed

Although the most optimistic timelines would have seen Missouri sportsbooks up and running in June, those plans were derailed by the newly sworn-in Secretary of State and a vocal opponent of sports betting, former state Senator Denny Hoskins.

Although not necessarily an opponent of sports betting, Hoskins demanded that any sports betting legislation be tied to the legalization of video lottery terminals (VLTs) that operate in a murky grey legal area throughout the state. Hoskins wanted the machines legitimized through the legislature and governed by a regulatory body.

However, many lawmakers were opposed to regulating slot-machine-style games, as there was vehement opposition from land-based casino operators who believed their existence was detrimental to their business.

Hoskins’ intractable opposition prevented sports betting legislation from being passed, which is why the professional sports franchises had to circumvent the legislature and obtain approximately 170,000 verified signatures to get the question on last November’s ballot.

Advocates wanted sports betting launched in June, well in time for the lucrative NFL and college football seasons, and submitted emergency rules to effectuate that end. However, Hoskins remained defiant even in defeat, citing that the emergency rules are designed with the express intent to eliminate any “immediate danger to public health, safety, or welfare” or to “preserve a compelling governmental interest that requires an early effective date,” and they did not apply under these circumstances.

Hoskins stated afterward, “The standard rulemaking process is more than capable of achieving the desired outcome within the necessary time frame. In fact, under the proper procedure, the proposed rules could be effective by Sept. 30, 2025—well ahead of the December 1 deadline. This confirms that there is no legitimate justification for bypassing the standard rulemaking process, which is designed to give the public the chance to weigh in on decisions that affect them.”