Kevin Bond Joins the Missouri Gaming Commission as Deputy Director

Residents of the Show Me State are still awaiting access to our best sports betting sites, but work continues toward the launch of the legal market.

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) has announced the appointment of a new Deputy Director, effective January 6, 2025. Kevin C. Bond joins the commission amid the legalization of Missouri sports betting, which the MGC will regulate.

Mr. Bond has more than 34 years of experience in law enforcement, including his most recent role as the Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, which he held for four years. He previously served as the Sheriff of Pettis County for 16 years, President of the Missouri Sherrifs’ Association, Chair of the Mid-Missouri Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force, and more. 

“Kevin Bond’s appointment as Deputy Director of the Missouri Gaming Commission marks a significant milestone in strengthening our leadership team,” said the MGC’s Executive Director, Michael Leara, as reported in a press release. “Kevin’s wealth of experience, having served as Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety and his distinguished career in law enforcement, positions him as an invaluable asset to our organization. His outstanding leadership skills and commitment to public service will undoubtedly enhance our mission to ensure the integrity and accountability of gaming in Missouri.”

Mr. Bond also holds a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Central Missouri State University.

Missouri sports betting coming in 2025

The MGC has until a deadline of December 1, 2025, to launch its legal sports betting market. Under Amendment 2, which just passed by a narrow margin of less than 3,000 votes, the MGC could license up to 19 retail sportsbooks and 21 online. Some of our best sports betting apps are sure to make the cut.

David Mitchell, an economics professor from Missouri State University, recently spoke about the launch: “It takes time to get those things in place. Licenses, do background checks on people to make sure businesses are set up and websites and everything. It just doesn’t happen overnight. It’s more of an operational constraint than it is a legal constraint.”

Meanwhile, MGC Chairman Jan Zimmerman said, “Our folks are writing the rules and regulations as we speak,” adding that the commission hopes to have everything in place by “mid-to-late summer.”

Other MGC responsibilities

The MGC also licenses thirteen riverboat casinos in the Show Me State. This includes the Century Casino & Hotel Caruthersville, which recently moved its operations inland. Senate Bill 26, which passed in 2021, modified the law to allow for “nonfloating facilities.” Each Missouri casino must be within 1,000 feet of the Missouri or Mississippi rivers and contain at least 2,000 gallons of water inside or underneath the facility.

A new report published by the MGC earlier this week reveals that Missouri’s riverboat casinos collected $153 million in November 2024, up 4% year-on-year. The rise was driven by the new Caruthersville casino, which collected close to $5.3 million in revenue, a 47% increase from $3.6 million in November 2023, when the casino operated as a riverboat. 

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Jefferson City, the MGC also regulates charitable bingo and fantasy sports contests in Missouri.