It appears that we will know when the Kansas sports betting market will launch on Thursday, confirming news that BetKansas.com reported earlier this week.
Kansas operators will likely have the chance to begin accepting wagers as soon as the Sept. 8 date that lawmakers set out when SB 84 (which legalized betting in Kansas) was hammered out this spring, though no official start time has been made public yet.
The move allows betting to launch on schedule, as legislators in the state had listed the date as their targeted start date when they passed the legislation in late April.
The aim is for sportsbooks, including Kansas betting apps, would launch operations in time for the NFL regular season, with Thursday’s announcement confirming that information.
A source told BetKansas.com that the announcement would come in the early afternoon on Thursday, setting the stage for Kansas to join the more than 30 states that allow legal bets online.
“Expect an official announcement tomorrow (8/18/22) in the early afternoon about sports betting in Kansas, including an official start date and what platforms/providers that will be available,” said the source, who confirmed Thursday’s announcement on the condition of anonymity.
How Kansas Sports Betting Got Here
Betting came to fruition thanks to Senate Bill 84, which expanded the Kansas Lottery Act of 2007 to include mobile and retail operators.
That legislation cleared both chambers of the legislature this spring, with the House passing an amended bill by a 73-49 margin, while the Senate did so by a 21-13 vote.
The Kansas House previously passed the original legislation, which did not include elements, such as allocating 80% of all revenue from wagering to a professional sports team, by an 88-36 vote.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly put pen to paper to seal the fate of betting in the state on May 12, making the state the longest market to pass and implement legal bets so far in 2022.
SB 84 allows Kansas’ four state-owned casinos and professional sports teams to partner with mobile and retail operators, paving the way for Kansas to join Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and more in giving the green light to wagering.
All along, regulators from the Kansas Lottery and KRGC, which were tasked with working together to oversee the rollout of betting in the Sunflower State, cautioned that the start date would not be sped up if the state wasn’t ready to go live.
“We want to make sure that (sports betting) is operational and as bug-free as we can, because we don't want to launch something that is sticky in some way,” Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell told BetKansas.com in July. “And that doesn't allow our players to have the best opportunity or the most enjoyable experience that they can.”
Another hurdle was cleared on Friday, when the KRGC’s board voted to approve more than 110 pages of regulations for wagering, allowing regulators to license potential operators for the launch.
Now, the question is whether Kansas regulators can get online wagering in place by the time the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills kick off the NFL season on Sept. 8. Whenever the launch happens, get the best Kansas sportsbook promos here at Betkansas.com.
Kansas Operators Accepting Pre-Registration
Two major players in the national sportsbook competition are already offering pre-registration deals. Whenever betting launches, DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook will have pre-registration offers for Kansans, with promotions for anyone that does so before the Sept. 8 launch date.
The DraftKings Kansas promo offered for registering early is $100 in free bets to use on the launch day. The Boston-based operator is also offering Kansans the chance to score a $100,000 free bet. One lucky sports bettor will get the chance to bet $100,000 on a single bet.
The folks at FanDuel Sportsbook, meanwhile, are offering those who choose to download and register early will receive a generous FanDuel Kansas promo, which includes up to $100 in free bets to use on Launch Day.
New users to the operator will also be able to take advantage of FanDuel’s “No Sweat First Bet” deal, which gives bettors up to $1,000 in free bets if their first wager settles as a loss.
Once sports betting does launch, you can expect to see promotions available to bettors in the Sunshine State.
