At last! Sports betting arrives in Kansas

Governor Kelly signed the bill on Thursday.

Sports betting is finally coming to the Sunflower State, seeing it join 31 other jurisdictions in the union in embracing this ever-expanding pass time. 

Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 84, which was originally approved by lawmakers in April 2022, on Thursday, allowing approved casinos to operate online and retail sportsbooks, striking deals with commercial operators to do so. 

“Legalizing sports betting will bring more revenue to our state and grow our economy,” Kelly noted in a statement. “This is another mechanism that casinos, restaurants and other entertainment venues can now utilize to attract Kansans to their establishments.”

Sports betting is expected to bring a great deal of revenue to the state, with estimates ranging between $9m to $45m. 

In a curious policy decision, 80% of tax revenue from these sportsbooks will be dedicated to the state’s sports franchise. This mostly comes as an attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs into moving across state lines once the lease on its stadium is up in 2030. 

With this, Kansas joins many of the states across the nation in legalizing sports wagering. Presently, several states are in the process of pushing through sports betting legislation, including Missouri and Massachustes. 

2022 has been an explosive year for sports betting thus far, with the launch of New York’s online sportsbook industry destroying all previous records. Indeed, in its first 30 days of operation, the New York market recorded nearly $2bn worth of bets.    

While it remains to be seen as to whether the Kansas legislature’s ploy to bring the Chiefs into the state will pay dividends, the legalization of sports betting is sure to bring joy to fans of the activity across the region. 

Henry Moore

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