Kansas formally legalizes online and retail sports betting
Bill signed by Governor Laura Kelly to become law on July 1, with launch expected during 2022 football season
Kansas officially legalized sports betting after Governor Laura Kelly attached her signature to SB 84 on May 12, paving the way for both retail and online wagering to come to the Sunflower State.
The bill, which will become law on July 1, requires the Kansas Lottery, in concert with Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, to create a regulatory structure for sports betting by January 1, 2023.
“Legalizing sports betting will bring more revenue to our state and grow our economy,” Kelly said in a statement. “This is another mechanism that casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues can now utilize to attract Kansans to their establishments.”
While the beginning of the new year represents the drop-dead date for a framework to be developed, the expectation is that will happen much sooner and sports betting will launch sometime in the fall during football season.
Under the bill, each of the four casinos in Kansas 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 that will provide entry points to the market for the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, and other prominent online operators.
FanDuel, through its partnership with Boyd Gaming, and Penn National Gaming – which owns Barstool Sportsbook – already have market access thanks to the retail presence of Boyd and Penn in Kansas.
The state will tax both in-person and online wagers at 10%, with 80% of the resulting tax revenue set to be earmarked for the purposes of attracting professional sports teams to Kansas.
Currently, Sporting Kansas City of Major League is the only in-state pro franchise.