Kansas Online Sports Betting

Kansas is more-gambling-friendly than most U.S. states, but not quite yet as liberal as some other midwestern states or competing with the likes of NJ online sports betting sites. The state has a very healthy land-based casino industry and permits some forms of online betting. Online sports betting became legal in September 2022, in addition to the already robust Daily Fantasy Sports and horse racing offerings. That same 2022 bill also approved physical sportsbooks at Kansas casinos with two sportsbooks already opened to the public and more on the way.

Kansas legal gambling options include state-owned Commercial Casinos, online horse racing betting and State lottery options, and live poker composing a wide range of choices for residents and visitors to the Sunflower State.

Kansas has a 5% state tax on gambling winnings.

Large gambling wins over $600 in the Sunflower State may possibly attract an additional Federal Tax.

Contacting your tax attorney to assess your potential Federal tax liability if you have a big win.

Kansas interestingly includes Horse Racing in the 21 years-of-age gambling minimum age category along with the state’s casinos. All other forms of legal gambling in Kansas have a minimum age of 18.

Taxes were the major point of contention for Kansas lawmakers in the sports betting legalization process. In early 2018, Kansas entered the sports betting legalization debate when lawmakers introduced a bill (House Bill 2752) seeking to legalize sports betting in state-owned and online casinos if the federal ban on sports betting was repealed or stricken down.

House Bill 2752 has caused some consternation as local casino interests opposed the provision in the bill calling for an “integrity fee” of 1% of total betting-handle to be paid to the professional sports leagues. The fee is thought to be excessive and may threaten the state’s casino’s ability to compete with off-shore sportsbooks.

Given that HB 2752 was still a work in progress, Kansas legislators introduced a second ‘compromise’ bill in March 2018. Senate Bill 455 scaled back the sports integrity fee from 1% of total betting handle to 0.25% of the betting handle. However, the bill did not pass the legislature.

In 2021, Kansas was able to pass SB84 as a first step to legalizing sports betting. A year later, the House worked on and passed HB2470 then the two chambers worked out their difference in a conference committee. The new law was signed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly in May 2022 and took effect in July. However, the actual launch of sports betting occurred in September 2022.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) competitions have been determined by Federal lawmakers to be skill-based competitions, not gambling on a game that is determined by random chance.

The Kansas State Government is in full agreement with the Federal ruling on DFS.

The DFS laws in Kansas were clarified in 2015 when the state’s Attorney-General issued an opinion agreeing that DFS competitions are games of skill. A short time later, the Kansas Legislature reaffirmed the opinion legalizing DFS in Kansas with the bill, HB 2155. Since then, the DFS companies are free to legally accept players from the Sunflower State to participate in their real money competitions.

Once legal eSports betting becomes a reality in Kansas, it will open up new betting markets to the state’s residents and visitors with a brash new style of sports betting, untouched by the previous unlegalized past. However, it is currently not part of the online sports betting options in the Sunflower State.

What is the ‘eSports’ Phenomenon?

In only a few short years, video game play at its highest professional level has become a betting phenomenon. Rather than being played as an individual sport, eSports are frequently played in a team-format in worldwide tournaments.

Much in the same way that football, baseball, basketball and hockey are different types of sports CS:GO, StarCraft, Legend of Legends and Overwatch, are the NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA sports of the eSports world.

An increasing number of international sportsbooks offering a betting markets across the major global eSports tournaments, as eSports betting grows quickly worldwide.

Expect eSports betting to be available soon at your favorite legalized Kansas sportsbook.

At the present time, all licenses for horse and greyhound racing in Kansas previously issued by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission have lapsed and/or have been revoked. No horse or greyhound racing has been conducted in Kansas since August 2008.

Kansas residents and visitors have legal horse racing betting options through online horse racing betting sites.

Trackside Betting

Kansas’ two operating racetracks closed down in 2008 and there have been few moves to reinvigorate the tracks.

Off Track Betting (OTB) in Kansas

The State of Kansas has no network of off-track betting locations.

Online Horse Racing in Kansas

All of Kansas’ online racebooks have small minimum initial deposit requirements and they all provide the online bettor with the convenience of mobile betting from your PC, smartphone, tablet or other mobile device. Kansas visitors or residents over the age of 21 all have full legal access to online horse betting sites that offer betting on all the big races across-the world and nationwide in the United States.

Given Kansas’ lack of trackside betting options and OTB outlets, it’s fantastic to be able to bet on big events like the Triple Crown or the Kentucky Derby conveniently and legally online in the state of Kansas.

Visit our Page on Gambling in Kansas for more information about the states laws and reviews of Licensed Online Casinos