Kansas Launches Legal Online Sports Betting

On September 1, 2022, Kansas will launch and legalize online sports betting. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced the new launch and said that licensed operators can accept wagers starting on the first. Football season starts on September 8, which sets it right on time for online sports betting to be legal in the state.

Mobile Betting Apps Prepare

Mobile betting apps have opened up and will prepare for the launch with special deals. All four state-owned, land-based casinos will accept bets either in-person or from the mobile app. Tribal casinos have also tried to align themselves with the state to wager on sports, but they haven't reached an agreement. The tribal casinos will launch as soon as they reach an agreement.

Senate Bill 84 - What It Will Do

Governor Kelly ceremonially signed Senate Bill 84 on June 20, 2022, to legalize sports betting in the state. The bill allows for state casinos to use a digital platform, and they can create online sportsbooks. Governor Kelly believes that signing the bill will help to make Kansas the most pro-business and pro-growth state in the nation.

How Sports Betting Will Launch in Kansas

We will see a soft launch happen on September 1 at 12 pm. A soft launch means that they will have limitations as they figure out how to make it work. The full launch begins on the day that football season kicks off on September 8.

The most common online casino operators that we can expect to see include:

• Barstool
  
• DraftKings
  
• FanDuel
  
• BetMGM
  
• Caesars
  

The pre-registration offers are worth $100 each at DraftKings and FanDuel.

What if You Live in Missouri?

Especially with part of Kansas City in Missouri, it makes you wonder if Missouri will offer the same package. In Missouri, sports betting remains illegal, but those near might cross state lines to place wagers. In Kansas, they use your physical location rather than residency as part of your eligibility. This makes it easy to cross over, register and place sports wagers.

Senate Bill 84 will authorize horse racing as well.

What to Expect

We can expect to see four full retail sportsbooks and 12 online sportsbooks once Kansas launches online sports betting fully. Over 200 businesses and fraternal organizations will have betting kiosks. Because only mobile betting is allowed in Tennessee, the market in Kansas will be larger.

Conclusion

The people of Kansas can get excited about the NFL this year since sports betting will launch around the same time. Kansas state officials did this intentionally to create buzz around online sports betting. We have seen a somewhat staggered launch, but this has allowed them to launch it sooner than in other states like Ohio where they want to launch retail, kiosk and mobile betting all simultaneously on the same day. That makes it more difficult for them to launch as quickly as Kansas, and they will officially launch on January 1, 2023.