Kansas online sports betting will launch on Sept. 1
Kansas online sports betting officially has a start date, as the lottery announced a soft launch for Thursday, Sept. 1, at noon local time.
A full launch will take place on Thursday, Sept. 8, before the start of the NFL games that evening.
It’s the quickest state turnaround from a bill being signed into law to its launch. Kansas only needed about 74 days compared with Iowa’s previous record-setting 95 day turnaround. For comparison, Maryland is still without online sports betting 456 days after its sports betting bill was signed into law.
Kansas sports betting by NFL week 1
Under temporary rules and regulations, Boot Hill Casino & Resort; Ford County near Dodge City; Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane; Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS; and Kansas Crossing Casino & Hotel in Pittsburg, can begin offering their patrons full sports betting access on Sept. 8.
The casinos already have several sports betting partnerships in place:
- Boot Hill Casino and Resort: DraftKings and Bally Bet
- Kansas Star Casino: BetMGM and FanDuel
- Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway: Barstool Sportsbook and FoxBET
- Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel: Caesars Sportsbook and PointsBet
“Legalizing sports betting is a common-sense solution that keeps Kansans’ money in Kansas and drives business to sporting events, casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a press release. “I want to thank all our partners for working with us to get this done in time for football season.”
Kansas sports betting details
In May, Kelly signed Senate Bill 84, bipartisan legislation legalizing sports wagering in Kansas on mobile apps, in casinos, and other specific venues. SB 84 allows venues such as restaurants and nonprofit fraternal or veterans organizations to hold sports wagering. SB 84 preserves tribal sovereignty, allowing the negotiation of a new or existing gaming compact regarding sports wagering.
Kansas casinos will each be able to partner with up to three online sports betting operators.
Casinos will also be able to partner with up to 50 additional locations, including professional sports franchises, to install sports betting kiosks. Currently, the only professional franchise in the state is MLS Sporting Kansas City.
The sports betting bill levies a 10% tax on retail and online sports betting. The law is expected to bring in nearly $10 million annually in taxes, of which 80% will be earmarked to lure professional sports franchises to relocate to the state. This means upwards of $8 million a year could be invested into the specialized “Attracting Professional Sports in Kansas” fund.
“This announcement represents a lot of hard work and collaboration between the Kansas Lottery, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, our casino and tribal partners,” Stephen Durrell, Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery, said in a release. “The process to bring this to fruition has moved at an unbelievable pace. We are excited to be bringing sports betting to Kansas players and adding more fun and exciting play options to the Sunflower State.”
