Kansas Sports Betting Operators Ready For Launch
Despite some problems with the language of some of the temporary sports betting rules, sportsbooks are set to launch in Kansas on September 1. The Attorney General’s office was concerned with some of the temporary rules, but it’s not going to stop the soft launch from taking place.
Kansas is not expected to become a major sports betting market in the United States, but the state has been able to attract some of the top sports betting operators. Rumors about the potential operators have been leaking out for weeks, but the list was made official earlier this week.
The sportsbooks that are set to launch in Kansas on September 1 are:
- Barstool
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBet
Those six operators are the best of the best when it comes to sports betting in the United States and each company had to partner with a retail casino in the state. There are just four such casinos in Kansas, but each property was allowed up to three online sports betting skins.
The Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel has made the most of this opportunity as it already has three partnerships locked down. Retail sports betting will also be available in the state, but it’s unclear when all of the retail sportsbooks will launch.
Why a Soft Launch?
The soft launch is set to begin on September 1, and many are wondering why a soft launch is needed. The Kansas Lottery was a big proponent of the soft launch, and this is a strategy that has been used in other states as well.
A soft launch is a way for sportsbooks to test out their products on a much smaller scale to ensure that nothing is overlooked. With the types of operators set to launch in the state of Kansas, it’s hard to imagine that there will be any issues with what takes place.
The pre-registration promotions that are being offered by the top online sportsbooks in Kansas will end on September 1 with the soft launch. While the sports betting numbers are expected to be strong during the soft launch, the majority of the betting will take place once the NFL season begins.
U.S. Industry Continues to Grow
2022 has been a relatively slow year for the U.S. sports betting industry, but growth is still taking place throughout the country. 2021 is when the United States moved past the 50% threshold for the number of states that offer sports betting of some kind.
As soon as sports betting officially launches in the state of Kansas on September 1, 31 states throughout the country will have some form of legal sports betting. There are also five other states that have a law in place, but sportsbooks have not started to accept wagers.
Getting to 100% doesn’t seem likely anytime soon, but there are going to be additional states that move to legalize this industry in 2023.
