Royals Sports Betting License Available After Underdog Withdrawal

Underdog’s sudden withdrawal of its sports betting license in Missouri took many by surprise, but none more than the Kansas City Royals, which had struck an access agreement with the DFS-turned-sports betting platform for access to the state’s mobile sports betting market.

Royally Crowned

Underdog announced it had withdrawn its sports betting license in the Show Me State just days before the industry was about to launch. The unexpected turn of events had everything to do with Underdog’s desire to pursue an entry in the prediction platform market, which sells sports betting contracts and is governed federally by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

State gaming regulators have been at odds with the prediction market platforms, citing their lack of adherence to state gaming laws, and instead flouting those laws under the protection of the CFTC’s authority, which they have argued supersedes state laws. That legally murky morass continues to be the bone of contention, still being litigated in federal and state courts.

Platforms Still Operating Nationwide

However, the trading platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, among others, continue to operate in all 50 states, and it has rankled the sensibilities of gaming commissions in every state where sports betting is legal, including Missouri. Underdog currently operates as both a DFS and prediction market firm through a technology partnership with Crypto.com and continues to operate both entities in Missouri.

But that sudden pivot has left the MLB’s Kansas City Royals high and dry in the brand-new mobile sports betting landscape and seeking a new partner. The team has not commented on its next move, nor has Underdog’s other Missouri partner, the St. Louis Blues.

The Great Eight

Underdog’s recent exit will allow another sports betting platform the opportunity to partner with both the Royals and Blues. The state offered only two untethered sports betting licenses, which were awarded to DraftKings and Circa Sports. The other sportsbooks were mandated to find partners in the form of a Missouri casino or professional sports team to gain access to the state’s fledgling market.

On December 1, 2025, the mobile sports betting industry will go live at 12:01 AM, and, in addition to DraftKings and Circa Sports, the tethered licenses belong to bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, FanDuel, and theScore Bet (formerly ESPN Bet).

Royals and Blues Still Searching for Partners

Those eight sportsbooks will compete for Missouri’s sports betting dollars, but the Royals and Blues remain without a partner to profit from a piece of that gambling pie. It was only recently that Joshua Anderson, Underdog’s director of strategy, extolled the virtues of being aligned with an NHL franchise whose existence spans nearly 60 years.

“We’ve learned how rabid Blues fans are when it comes to leveling up their sports experience, making this partnership an obvious choice as we continue to introduce ourselves to the St. Louis market. Being on the ground at Enterprise Center this season, we’re meeting fans on the cusp of a new era in the overall sports experience and doing so in a way that’s authentic to the Blues and everything they represent,” said Anderson.

But it should be noted that the agreement with the Blues was for a marketing collaboration and not a sports betting partnership, yet both the Blues and Royals are in search of a sports betting partner that could include BetRivers, Bally Bet, or Hard Rock Bet.