Kansas’ soft launch period begins as sports betting heavyweights circle
Sportsbooks begin temporary operational period ahead of full launch on September 8
Sports betting has officially kicked off in Kansas, with the Sunflower State commencing a seven-day soft launch period.
An official launch will take place on September 8, however, operators that have been pre-approved by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission can begin recruiting customers today.
Commonly used by US states when launching sports betting, the soft launch allows regulators to troubleshoot any potential issues in operator reporting software and transaction processing.
Several US sportsbook operators have already begun recruiting customers, with DraftKings, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars, and PointsBet all soft launching in the state.
US market leader FanDuel, working in conjunction with market access partner Boyd Gaming, will open a temporary retail sportsbook at the Kansas Star Casino at 12pm central time, with a full opening to follow on September 8.
Kansas native and former NFL wide receiver Jordy Nelson will place the ceremonial first bet on September 8 at the FanDuel Sportsbook at Kansas Star.
Stretching over 2,100 square feet, FanDuel’s Kansas sportsbook features four betting windows, 28 HD televisions, seating for 40 customers, and 20 IGT PlaySports self-service betting kiosks.
The launch makes the Sunflower State the fastest state to launch regulated sports betting so far, beating Iowa, which launched 95 days after legislation was signed into law, Arizona which took 148 days, and Indiana at 149 days.
Twitter users have broadly praised Kansas’ legislators for launching so quickly, with many questioning whether bettors in other neighboring states including Oklahoma and Missouri might travel across state lines in order to place bets.
Sports betting is currently illegal in both of these states, with Missouri’s legislators failing to approve potential enabling legislation earlier this year.
Congrats on sports betting, Kansas. Enjoy the increased revenue that your neighbors to the east will not see.
Be kind to the many Missourians coming over to play responsibly.
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) September 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/JeremySickel/status/1564973294532575234
Under Kansas legislation, each of the state’s four casinos will be permitted to operate a retail sportsbook. In addition, they can partner with 50 retail establishments, such as restaurants or gas stations, to offer in-person betting via kiosks.
The state’s casinos will also be granted three online skins each.
The state will tax gross gaming revenue (GGR) from in-person and online wagers at 10%, with 80% of the resulting tax collected earmarked for the purposes of attracting professional sports teams to Kansas.