Kansas Sports Betting Launches Today

With the NFL season a week away, Kansas sports betting launches today.

There are six sportsbooks lined up to launch for Kansas sports betting Thursday, according to the Kansas Lottery. The operators can go live at noon.

The sportsbooks that will be ready to roll for NFL betting are:

Two Kansas sportsbooks ready for retail

Each of the four state-owned casinos can partner with up to three online sportsbook operators.

Hollywood Casino will offer both mobile and in-person sports betting with its Barstool Sportsbook. The casino and sportsbook share naming rights for the Sept. 11 NASCAR race at the neighboring Kansas Speedway.

FanDuel will open a retail sportsbook at Kansas Star Casino and former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson will place the first bet Thursday. FanDuel will also be live for mobile betting.

Another four sportsbooks ready for Kansas online sports betting

DraftKings will be live for mobile bets through its Boot Hill Casino & Resort partnership. DraftKings announced Wednesday its retail sportsbook at Boot Hill will open in October.

Boot Hill also provides market access to Bally Bet and Golden Nugget.

Likewise, Kansas Crossing Casino will announce its retail plans in the future. The casino provides three mobile sportsbooks access:

Journey to Kansas sports betting

Gov. Laura Kelly signed sports betting legislation in May, following a sports betting negotiation session that nearly missed a crucial legislative deadline. The passage in 2022 came following a near miss in 2021.

Kansas is one of the fastest states to go from governor signature to launch, joining states like Arizona and Wyoming to go live by football season following a spring legislative session. The speedy effort was in large part because the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission regularly works closely with the Kansas Lottery, which owns the state’s four casinos.

There was a scare in late August when the Kansas Attorney General’s Office notified the Kansas Lottery it did not approve some of the agency’s regulations just hours after the launch date announcement. The Lottery sorted out the issue quickly to keep the timeline on track.

What to expect from the Kansas market

Legislators from Kansas and Missouri were in a race to legalize sports betting, with Missourians ultimately falling short. That could mean a significant boon to the Kansas side of the border when it comes to Kansas City, Missouri, which is home to the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals.

Kansas is home to the Major League Soccer team Sporting Kansas City.

With a solid collegiate fanbase, Kansas could be comparable to Connecticut sports betting, which launched in October 2021. Connecticut sportsbooks have taken $1.2 billion in bets since then, with the state collecting $8.2 million in taxes.

Kansas legislators implemented a 10% tax rate for sports betting revenue.

Kansas sports betting limitations

Unlike some markets in US sports betting, there are few limitations in Kansas. Operators will be able to offer significant promotions heading into the NFL season.

There is also no ban on college sports betting, nor on betting on in-state college schools. Sportsbook customers do need to be 21 years or older.

Kansas bettors will also have a healthy menu of sports betting options, including:

• Moneyline
• Point spreads
• Totals
• Parlays
• Prop bets
• Futures