Missouri has a long-standing interest in card games. Just ask anyone who has spent a weekend at one of the state’s riverboat casinos or taken part in a friendly home game. But when it comes to online poker, Missouri law hasn’t quite caught up. There are no state-regulated poker sites available, which means players looking for real competition have to look beyond Missouri’s borders. Thankfully, offshore poker platforms that accept U.S. players offer a practical alternative.
Whether you’re logging in from St. Louis or a quiet town down in the Ozarks, you still have great options for playing online. This guide will show you the most trusted poker sites for Missouri players, walk you through the state’s legal stance on online poker, and explain what to watch out for to keep your experience safe and enjoyable.
Online Poker Legality Snapshot
Online Poker
Available (Offshore Only)
Land Based Poker
Available
Legal Gambling Age
18
Poker Regulator
Missouri Gaming Commission
Can You Play Online Poker for Real Money in Missouri?
Yes! While Missouri doesn’t license online poker, no law explicitly bans players from accessing offshore platforms. These sites operate outside the U.S. but accept residents of Missouri, which allows players to sign up, deposit, and play without needing local approval. However, because these platforms aren’t regulated, it’s important to be selective. Look for sites with a good track record, clear terms, and strong player protections, such as secure payment processing and anti-collusion tools.
Top Sites for Online Poker in Missouri
Not every poker site is built the same. Some shine with slick software, others draw huge tournament fields or offer juicy rakeback deals, and a few make life easy for newcomers. We dug in to see how these platforms actually perform for Missouri players. The sites below stood out for their consistency, trustworthiness, and the quality of their games, whether you’re hunting big MTT prize pools or just want a steady cash-game table that fills fast.
Bovada Poker – Best for Quick Cashouts and Reliable Banking
Ignition Poker – Best for Big Guaranteed Tournaments with Smaller Fields
BetOnline Poker – Best for Deep Multi-Tabling and Fast Software
Large player pool, especially for cash games and tournaments
Best customer support and prompt payouts
Soft games
Min Deposit
10
Payout Speed
15 days
Best for Quick Cashouts and Reliable Banking
Reliable banking is a major draw for poker fans in Missouri. Bovada excels in quick cashouts, with crypto withdrawals processed in 1–24 hours. Alternatives like checks and MatchPay are available for those who prefer them. Deposits are straightforward, with options including credit cards and crypto. Bovada’s focus on smooth, predictable transactions is an advantage for those valuing reliability over flashy promotions. With over 10 years in the US market, Bovada offers dependable payouts and a user-friendly interface, making it a strong choice for players seeking efficient banking.
Thanks to manageable field sizes and consistent guarantees, Ignition is a go-to for tournament grinders in Missouri. The $100K Sunday, daily knockouts, and deep-structured MTTs offer tournament volume without overwhelming traffic. Anonymous seating levels the field, especially in mid-stakes games, and cash game options run around the clock. Crypto withdrawals typically arrive in under 48 hours, adding convenience to a platform that balances structure with simplicity.
High traffic with active cash games and tournaments.
100% up to $1,000 bonus with tournament tickets.
Fast crypto payments with no fees.
Many tournament options, including PKOs and Sunday Majors.
Min Deposit
10
Payout Speed
1 Day
Best for Deep Multi-Tabling and Fast Software
Grinders in Missouri who thrive on volume will find BetOnline’s interface built for efficiency. You can multi-table up to 15 games simultaneously, with customizable settings like hotkeys, resizable windows, and preset betting sliders. Boost Poker adds another action layer for players who don’t like waiting around. Whether you’re focused on MTTs, cash games, or sit & gos, the platform offers fast software, reliable banking, and tournament traffic that fills the tables at most hours.
How We Select the Best Online Poker Sites in Missouri
Choosing the right poker site matters, especially when you’re playing from a state like Missouri without regulated local options. We carefully look at several key factors to ensure that every site we recommend offers a safe and rewarding experience.
Access and Availability: Every site we recommend must openly accept players from Missouri, with no restrictions or limitations.
Player Traffic and Competitive Environment: We highlight platforms where Missouri players can reliably find active tables and fair matchups at all hours.
Poker Bonuses: We look for promotions—like welcome bonuses and rakeback deals—that provide real, ongoing value for players in Missouri.
Game Selection and Time Zones: We favor sites offering diverse cash games, sit-and-gos, and tournaments that are accessible during peak playing hours in Missouri.
Banking Speed and Flexibility: Fast, reliable deposits and withdrawals across multiple payment options are a must for MO Players.
Missouri Gambling & Poker Laws Summarized
Type/Code
Summary
State Code Section(s)
XXI.313; XXXVIII. 572
Definitions
Gambling: A person stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his or her control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or she will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.Gambling device: Any device, machine, paraphernalia or equipment that is used or usable in the playing phases of any gambling activity, whether that activity consists of gambling between persons or gambling by a person with a machine.Professional player: A player who engages in gambling for a livelihood or who has derived at least twenty percent of his or her income in any one year within the past five years from acting solely as a player.Contest of chance: Any contest, game, gaming scheme or gaming device in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that the skill of the contestants may also be a factor therein.
Online Poker/Gambling
There have been no efforts to legalize online poker or casino games in Missouri, and it is an unlikely proposition in the coming years.
Live Poker
All of the Missouri casinos have poker rooms offering cash games, and some offer tournaments as well.
Casinos
Casinos on riverboats – or within a certain proximity of bodies of water – are legal, and there are more than a dozen of them operating in Missouri as fully functional facilities.
Sports Betting
Lawmakers in both houses of the state legislature are considering versions of the Comprehensive Missouri Sports Betting and Sports Protection Act to legalize sports betting in 2018.
DFS
Missouri passed the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act in 2016 to legalize fantasy sports contests.
Other Forms of Gambling
Lottery, bingo, charitable gaming, horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering.
Is Online Poker Legal in Missouri?
Online poker is not currently legal or regulated in the state of Missouri. However, Missouri Poker players can play at offshore poker sites. Missouri has long allowed certain forms of gambling, like riverboat casinos and charitable bingo games, but online poker hasn’t yet found a place within the state’s regulated market. The Missouri Constitution and the Revised Statutes classify unregulated gambling as illegal, but these state laws were written long before online poker existed. As a result, there’s no direct law banning Missouri residents from playing online poker on offshore platforms. Instead, the state focuses its enforcement efforts on unlicensed operators within its borders rather than individual players accessing games from home.
Under Section 572.010(4) of the Revised Statutes, gambling means risking “something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence.” Violating this is a misdemeanor, punishable by fines or jail time. Social games among friends, private, non-commercial home games, are the lone exception under Section 572.010(8) and carry no penalty.
The law casts a wide net. “Possession of a gambling device” (Section 572.070) can include cards, chips, or even the computer software used for an online poker site. Anyone deemed a “professional player” (earning at least 20 percent of annual income from gambling in any of the past five years) faces a class D felony if caught playing unlicensed games (Section 572.010(9)). Promoting or profiting from illegal gambling, such as operating or marketing an offshore poker room to Missouri residents, can escalate charges from misdemeanor to felony depending on scale (Sections 572.030–040).
Despite these broad prohibitions, Missouri has no framework to license or regulate online poker. The Missouri Gaming Commission oversees riverboat casinos, the state lottery, and sports betting, but it cannot touch offshore platforms. That legal gray area means players aren’t prosecuted for logging in to real-money games as enforcement targets in-state operators, not individual users. Still, without state oversight, there’s no guarantee of payout or fairness, so choosing reputable sites with transparent policies is crucial.
Could things change? Possibly. Missouri has shown some openness to expanding gambling, particularly through riverboat casinos, discussions about sports betting, and the state lottery. There have also been past attempts, most notably in 2015 and 2016, to legalize state-run lotteries and casinos with online components, although they did not gain enough political support. If the U.S. sees a broader federal or multi-state push to regulate online poker, Missouri could eventually follow. But for now, legal online poker in the state remains out of reach.
Will Missouri Regulate Online Poker?
We doubt that Missouri will lead the way when it comes to online poker regulation. However, a few factors give us confidence that the state would follow along if a broader, national trend of regulation took place. The first factor is the presence of several major casino corporations in the state. This is a force that will be keen to push online poker regulation for competitive reasons. The second is the state’s general willingness to embark on gambling expansion. The third is the condition of the state budget (poor) and the need to rectify that situation (pressing). Put it all together and you get a reasonable case that Missouri won’t buck a nationwide push to bring regulated online poker to American players.
What is the Legal Age to Play Online Poker in Missouri?
In Missouri, you must be at least 21 years old to play poker in licensed riverboat casinos, which is the standard for most regulated gambling in the state. However, since Missouri does not regulate online poker, there’s no official state-set age for playing on offshore sites. Most online poker platforms that accept players from Missouri require users to be at least 18 years old, but it’s essential to carefully review each site's terms before signing up.
Play Online Poker Responsibly in Missouri
Playing online poker should always stay fun, and that starts with setting healthy limits. Missouri residents who need support have access to national resources that can help maintain control over their gaming habits.
National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): Offers confidential help, self-assessment tools, and referrals to local counselors. Their 24/7 helpline is available at 1-800-GAMBLER, and you can learn more atncpgambling.org.
Gamblers Anonymous: A peer-support group that offers free in-person and online meetings. It's designed for anyone who feels that gambling may be becoming a problem. You can find conferences or get started at gamblersanonymous.org.
Missouri Gaming Commission – Self-Exclusion Program: While Missouri doesn’t regulate online gambling, the Gaming Commission does offer a voluntary exclusion list for those who want to block themselves from entering state-licensed casinos. Learn more at mgc.dps.mo.gov.
Poker Players from Missouri
Missouri has produced several top-earning tournament pros who’ve turned the Show-Me State’s competitive spirit into big live-poker winnings. Here are the ten Missouri-based players with the highest recorded live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob database (rankings as of April 2025):
Blair Hinkle - $4,136,860
Maurice Hawkins - $3,212,452
Dutch Boyd - $2,987,254
Dennis Phillips - $2,563,425
Jason Mo - $1,842,317
Jeffrey Copeland - $1,578,904
Sandeep Pulusani - $1,492,650
Mark Davis - $1,301,780
Lynn Griswold - $1,025,432
Michael Kilgore - $912,575
Missouri and Online Poker
Missouri’s rich gambling history shows the state's love for competition and card games, even though online poker is not yet regulated. Thanks to long-standing offshore platforms, players still have real opportunities to find games that fit their style and bankroll. Whether you're grinding cash tables or chasing tournament wins, trusted options are just a few clicks away.
Explore our recommended real money poker sites, pick the one that feels right for you, and enjoy everything online poker has to offer.
Jennifer Newell is a freelance writer at LegalUsPokerSites. She has two decades of experience in the iGaming industry. She is a respected poker media member, contributing to publications and websites like USA Today, PokerStars, and PokerScout. Her knowledge spans gambling legislation and the broader online gaming world. She has spent years advocating for diversity, most notably gender equity in the traditionally male-dominated poker sphere.
Sources & Citations For This Article on Missouri Online Poker
