Kansas Inches Closer to Regulated Sports Betting Debut

Kansas sports fans will be able to start wagering on sporting events, most likely starting with the NFL season slated for this fall. The state’s regulated sports betting measure, SB 84, was signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly in May, and it was projected that the market would be operational by the fall football season.

Launching within four months of legalization would be a record-breaking feat. That’s because most states take much longer to set up the market before operators can start offering sportsbook services within the jurisdictions. Since the governor gave the green light, the Sunflower State’s gaming officials have revealed plans to announce an official sports gambling start date any time now.

The Racing and Gaming Commission Has Ratified Regulations

During a meeting in Topeka last Friday, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) unanimously agreed to 15 draft rules that would guide the Kansas regulated sports betting market upon launch. The industry guidelines have since been forwarded to Attorney General Schmidt’s desk for final approval.

After the bill’s signing in May, the regulator was assigned to devise operational parameters that would make it easier for stakeholders and punters to operate safely. Some of the rules revolve around ticket writer roles at the start of a shift, requirements for ticket issuance, and reserve requirements. There is a lot of optimism surrounding the decision yet to be made, with analysts predicting that the announcement would affirmatively declare the market open as soon as September 1.

It’s also worth pointing out that during the signing of the sports betting bill into law, Gov. Laura Kelly stated:

Quote

“Legalizing sports betting is a common-sense solution that keeps Kansans’ money in Kansas and drives business to sporting events, casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues. I want to thank all our partners for working with us to get this done in time for football season.”

While there is speculation surrounding the official launch date, especially after the governor’s statement, there is no definite knowledge of when the first bet would be wagered. Meanwhile, some industry insiders have even projected the date to be some time around January 2023 which is the tentative date mandated by the law.

On the other hand, the Kansas Lottery and the KRGC have expressed an interest in opening sports wagers much sooner. The fact that the duo has been working to fast-track the process and producing the guidelines in just a matter of weeks is evidence of their commitment to beating the self-set deadline.

David Moses, the KRGC, also confirmed that they would strive for a September launch despite any challenges they may face along the way. He said in part;

Quote

“We don’t have control over the start date; there are a lot of different moving parts and different agencies involved and different players. We’ve done what we need to do to get this moving to try to meet the start date of the NFL football regular season.”

Moses noted that the most vital milestone to get the ball rolling is the penning of licensing agreements issued by the Kansas Lottery. He explained that the process of getting parties to agree on and eventually sign a contract is arcane to Kansas and may therefore take longer than expected. Nonetheless, he concluded by stating that he was still confident in the diligence of the Kansas Lottery to get casino operators to sign licensing contracts.

Operators Ready to Hit the Ground Running

The four state-run casinos in Kansas have been on standby to open their doors to both in-person and online wagering ever since Governor Kelly ratified SB 84. And by the way, players can already access some prelaunch bonuses from leading operators like DraftKings and FanDuel. Players would, however, need to sign up for an account before the official launch to qualify for the promotional deals.

The law requires all operators (land-based or online) to offer services under the licenses of the Boot Hill Casino, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Raceway, Kansas Crossing Casino, and Kansas Star Casino. At the moment, DraftKings, Barstool, Caesars, and FanDuel have been assigned to manage the land-based operations of the four casinos, while BetMGM, Bally’s, PointsBet, and Fox Bet will handle online operations. The online sportsbooks have been developed and are waiting for the go-ahead to go live.

A regulated sports betting market for the Sunflower State translates to approximately $10 million to $45 million in annual tax revenue in the first year of launching. Some experts have projected that the figure could be higher, given reports from other states. However, the exact numbers have not been declared yet.

That said, it is also vital to note that the 15 draft rules sent to the Attorney General may be revised further. Any amendments may therefore push the debut date to a later timeline, although this cannot be established for sure.