Kansas Governor Kelly Legalizes Sports Betting

Sports betting is moving surprisingly fast in the state of Kansas. On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly legalized sports betting throughout the state by signing Senate Bill 84. This bill will allow current casino operators to open sportsbooks and start taking online wagers.

There are currently four casinos in the state of Kansas. Starting Jul 1, these casinos will be able to start partnerships with three online sports betting operators each, and Native American casinos in the state will be able to do the same, as long as they renew their contracts with the state to include online gaming.

A few of the largest sportsbooks have already announced their intentions to enter Kansas. These include FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, and Bally’s. Each casino throughout the state can pick three out of all of the online platforms to enter the online sports betting market.

Let the Process Begin

It’ll take a few months to get things up and running, but bettors can expect to see the action begin on or before January 1, 2023. This will allow them to bet on part of the NFL season and the NBA and college basketball seasons.

Compared to other states, six months is a pretty short timeline from legalization to full-blown operation. Many states don’t see sports betting begin until at least a year after it’s been legalized, but Kansas legislators are working their hardest to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

According to the bill, all regulations and rules must be permanently approved by January 1 at the latest. This will give operators the time they need to get things together and have their services ready before the new year. Governor Kelly has expressed hope that this process will be even faster, with operations possibly beginning during the college football season.

Chiefs Relocation?

Many Kansas City Chiefs fans within the state of Kansas were hopeful that the Kansas City Chiefs (who are currently based in Kansas City, Missouri) will announce a relocation to the Sunflower State after the legalization of sports betting.

Apparently, the president of the Chiefs, Mark Donovan, stated earlier this year that he was looking into many future possibilities for his team, including a big move out of the state. However, Governor Kelly thinks that this is very unlikely:

“I have never approached the Chiefs, nor has anybody in my administration, so no… I am not doing that…And quite honestly, when you think about it, the amount of money that this bill would generate and put into that fund, it would not come close to being what you would need to be able to attract a major league.”

Language of the Law

According to Senate Bill 84, there will be a 10% tax placed on all types of sports betting. 80% of the tax revenue will go towards the “Attracting Professional Sports in Kansas” fund. The state is expecting to see around $10 million in taxes each year.