Kansas Moving Closer to Legal Sports Betting
Lawmakers in the state of Kansas are once again making an attempt to legalize sports betting, and there has finally been some progress. A bill that would legalize sports betting has advanced through the House of Representatives, and this was an important step after the bill has already made it through the Senate.
Senate Bill 84 is the current piece of legislation that is on the table, but there have actually been two different versions that have been discussed. At some point a committee will have to form just one bill before it eventually lands on the governor’s desk.
The House of Representatives in Kansas actually had some work to do this time around as there was another bill on the table. House Bill 2740 was another sports betting legislation and the House was able to make some amendments from SB 84 using pieces from HB 2740.
Governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign sports betting into law if a piece of legislation eventually ends up on her desk. Lawmakers in the state have made it clear that they are hoping that sports betting is legal at some point in 2022.
The sports betting industry just continues to get bigger and Kansas does appear to be on track to legalize sports betting at some point.
Details of the Bill
If the current piece of legislation is approved in Kansas then both retail and mobile sports betting would be available. The sports betting market in Kansas will not be as large as some of the other states, but it could still be extremely competitive.
There are four casinos in the state of Kansas and those four properties would be able to offer retail betting. On top of that, each casino property could partner with three online sports betting operators.
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission would be put in charge of overseeing and regulating the sports betting industry, and all license applications would go through that group. The current bill allows for betting on both professional and college sports, including on in-state college teams.
Can Kansas Beat Missouri?
One reason that Kansas lawmakers are pushing so hard for sports betting at this time is that the state of Missouri is doing the same thing. Both states are looking to legalize sports betting before the other in an attempt to attract sports bettors that live near the border.
Kansas appears to be ahead of Missouri currently as a bill in the state of Missouri still has to pass through the Senate. The sports betting markets in each state could look similar, but Missouri will have the benefit of having professional sports teams leading the charge.
The state of Kansas is not particularly known for professional sports, but there are enough teams close enough to drive sports betting and bring in betting action.
