‘The Sunflower State’ legalized sports betting on May 12, 2022, so the ball’s over the line.
With no professional sports teams and a relatively small population of 2.913million, Kansas doesn’t seem like your stereotypical rabid sports fanbase. But anybody who has seen the passion which with Kansas supports the University of Kansas Jayhawks – particularly in college basketball – would dispute that.
After getting a long way towards legalizing sports betting in 2020, legislation was eventually finalized in May this year.
Kansas betting legislation permits the following types of operators:
- Commercial casinos
- Online operators
- Up to 50 partner businesses and entities per casino operator
Twenty percent of the total is reserved for nonprofit organizations. Kansas legislation also allows for tribal sportsbooks following new compact agreements.
Restrictions on collegiate athletics and other facets have yet to be determined.
Is sports betting legal in Kansas?
Yes, sports betting is legal in Kansas – now we can start the countdown to actually being able to do it!
The new bill was passed on May 12, which will see the state’s four retail casinos with the potential to partner with multiple ‘skins’ each to deliver online and mobile betting.
Sports betting is expected to open up in time for Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season, which kicks off Thursday September 8.
Legal sports betting near Kansas
While you will be able to bet in Kansas pretty soon, there are other states nearby which are options too – particularly if you’re traveling.
Most legal states only require you to be within their state lines, and over the legal age for sports betting. It’s about loccation, not residency.
The best available options close by for Kansans right now are:
Colorado: Already a pretty competitive market – which is good for bettors. Colorado has land-based sites and a good selection of online and mobile products. You need to be within state lines to get involved, and aged 21 or over.
NB: We will update this guide to let you know when other bordering states change their laws on sports betting.
Are offshore sportsbooks legal in Kansas?
Offshore sportsbooks do not operate legally within the state of Kansas. These books have no liense to operate in any U.S. jurisdiction.
Even when Kansas does open up for sports betting, it won’t license these offshore companies.
Our advice is always to ignore the temptation to sign up and bet offshore. The lack of consumer protection is a big danger, and could cost you heavily.
Right now, the smart play is to look for legal options within the Union until Kansas finally gives the green light to sports betting.