Kansas sports betting to soft-launch on September 1

August 19, 2022

Licensed sports betting operators in Kansas are permitted to carry out a soft launch and commence operations on September 1, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced Thursday. Following a few regulatory approvals, the full launch will take place on September 8.

Sports fans in Kansas can expect to place bets on their favorite teams once the remaining regulatory requirements are sorted out. As a result of the launch date, Kansas bettors will be able to place bets on the NFL throughout the entire season. There are already a couple of great sports betting promos in Kansas from BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings that you can find on Sqore.com

“Legalising 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,” Kelly said. “I want to thank all our partners for working with us to get this done in time for football season.”

Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission director of wagering Todd Allen said in an interview after the law was passed in April that sports betting was expected to be operational in time for the start of the football season.

“If everything goes well, we could see some bets by the upcoming football season,” Allen said in May.

Meanwhile, Kansas Lottery executive director Stephen Durrell commended all parties involved in the process.

“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," Durrell said.

“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.”

State-owned Boot Hill Casino & Resort, Kansas Star Casino, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, and Kansas Crossing Casino & Hotel will be able to accept betting both on-site and on mobile devices.

Tribal casinos are also negotiating to reach agreements with the state on sports betting deals. As soon as agreements are secured, these casinos will be able to open.

Senate Bill 84

SB 84 ran across a lot of resistance on its way to becoming law. After coming so close in 2021, sports betting kept its momentum going into 2022. Disagreements, however, persisted, necessitating the use of two conference committees to settle the issue this time around.

With final votes of 73-49, the Kansas House of Representatives adopted the bill, and the Senate followed suit with a vote of 21-13.

Kelly signed Senate Bill 84 into law in May, which made it legal to bet on sports on mobile platforms, in casinos, and in certain venues. It also made historical horse racing legal.

Kansas lottery facility managers can manage sports betting on behalf of the state's lottery under the bill through partnerships with online sports betting operators. Each person in charge of a lottery facility can have up to three interactive platforms for sports betting.

Based on how well they've done in other states, operators will get a one-year provisional license. Meanwhile, platforms that have been given contracts will be named soon.

Senate Bill 84 also provides a pathway for tribes to operate sports betting, allowing them to negotiate a new or existing gaming compact.

Jake

Jake Williams is a sports gambling expert. He's been writing in the sports betting and DFS industry for over a decade. He specializes in MLB and NBA, along with College Basketball and College Football.