Ohio sports betting is still four months away. While Ohio sports fans wait, fans in other states, including Kansas, eagerly await legal sports betting. Kansas will launch sports betting on September 1, 2023, following a rapid process that saw the Governor sign the bill into law in May, and take effect July 1.
On Sept. 1, Kansans will be able to wager legally on professional and collegiate sports in time for the NFL regular season, the college football season, and other important sporting events this fall.
When Kansas launches its sports betting market it will become the 31st state with legal sports wagering. The District of Columbia also has legal sports betting.
Which Sports Can I Bet On In Kansas?
Kansas sports betting laws allow wagering on the most popular professional and college sports:
- National Football League
- Major League Baseball
- NBA and NHL
- NCAA College football and basketball
- MMA and UCF
- Professional golf and tennis
- Auto racing, as well as horse racing
- European sports such as soccer and rugby
- Entertainment events like the Academy Awards
Kansas may also offer odds on niche sports like professional cornhole, bowling, and ultimate disc league.
Jayhawks Basketball
The most popular sport for many Kansans is college basketball, specifically the Kansas Jayhawks. The team has won four national championships, most recently in 2022. The Jayhawks have been to the Final Four 16 times, and have won 63 Big 12 conference titles. Kansas also holds the NCAA record for most consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances: an active streak of 32 consecutive appearances.
Folks in Kansas love the Jayhawks, and under the sports betting laws betting on the team is permitted. It’s expected that regular-season college basketball and March Madness betting will be wildly popular in Kansas.
How Do I Register With a Sportsbook in Kansas?
Registering for a sports betting app is simple. First, you must qualify in Kansas, which means you have to be 21 years of age or older, and in the state to open your sportsbook account.
You can download a licensed sports betting app or register via the website for the sportsbook, such as BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and others. Once you’ve registered, you make an initial deposit and place your first wager.
Since Kansas is an emerging sports betting market, most sportsbooks will offer welcome bonuses or promotional offers. Shop around to find the best bonus for you.
You can register at more than one sportsbook, which allows you to take advantage of multiple offers and bonuses. But it also gives you the flexibility to locate the best odds for your betting strategy.
Practicing Safe Betting in Kansas
Fortunately, several legal sports gaming markets have launched in the U.S. over the last 18-24 months, which helps us plan for safe, secure rollouts.
Citizens in Kansas should be aware that offshore sportsbooks will often target emerging markets by advertising their operations and making them appear legitimate. Refer to official licensed lists of sportsbooks before registering.
How Will Kansas Spend Tax Revenue from Sports Betting?
The Kansas Lottery and Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission will jointly govern sports betting in the state. The NRGC quickly developed the rules for sports betting operators and the process for administering licenses and gathering taxes.
Now that Kansas has a sports betting market, tax revenue will be paid from operators, which could include casinos through retail sportsbooks, online operators (sportsbook apps), as well as approved tribal sportsbooks that will be authorized by compact agreements.
Kansas law mandates that 10% of gross sports betting revenue be paid to the State Treasury. The breakdown is: $750,000 annually allocated to the White Collar Crime Fund; 2% to the Problem Gambling and Addiction Grant Fund; and 20% to the Lottery Operating Fund.
The bulk of the tax revenue (80% after the other expenditures) is to be spent on the newly formed Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund.
A similar scenario is in place in West Virginia, which has a smaller population than Kansas, but the same tax rate on its sports betting market. In 2021, that state reported a total handle of more than $540 million, which generated nearly $5 million in taxes.
The Not-So-Secret Reason State Leaders in Kansas Wanted Sports Betting
Nearly four of every five dollars in tax revenue that Kansas receives from sports betting will be used for the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund.
What is the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund, and why have so many politicians and civic leaders in the state come out in support of it?
Kansas does not host a major professional sports team. No NBA team, no NHL, and no MLB or NFL team. The Royals play in Kansas City, Missouri, which also hosts the popular Kansas City Chiefs. That doesn’t sit well with a lot of Kansans, who love sports.
It’s possible that one athlete, Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs, has done as much as any one person to spur the effort by Kansas to attract a professional sports team. Mahomes’ dynamic play has led the Chiefs to at least 12 wins in each of his four seasons as starting quarterback. The team has advanced to the Conference Championship game in each of the last four seasons, and twice to the Super Bowl.
With ”the other Kansas City” getting so much attention from its football team, Kansas has doubled and tripled its efforts to bring a team to the state. Even if that means the Chiefs cross the state border. In fact, one of the reasons Kansas may have moved so quickly to legalize and launch sports betting is the big carrot it poses to attract the Chiefs’ attention.
Even if the Chiefs stay in Missouri, much of the tax revenue from sports betting in Kansas will be used to fund campaigns to lure a team to the Jayhawk State. The civic pride that comes from a professional sports team would not be lost on a state with just under three million residents.
In the meantime, Kansas can wager on Mahomes and the Chiefs, or any NFL team. For that matter, betting can be placed on many sports, including college basketball, football, and international competitions.
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