Kansas legal sports betting< options have, at long last, made their shining debut. With few limitations, the state’s “soft opening” seems to meet the same scale as a full-blown launch.
Celebrating The Soft Launch
On Thursday morning, residents gathered at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City to hear Gov. Laura Kelly’s commencement speech. She celebrated the efforts of regulators and state officials that came together to make it happen. Kelly said,
“Every day I hear from Kansans across the state who are eager to finally place legal wagers on sports. I’m glad we were able to move quickly to get this bipartisan effort done in time for football season,”
Shortly after Kelly’s statements, as well as an exciting countdown, she became the first citizen to place a domestic wager in the state. When sportsbooks opened their services at noon, the patrons quickly started flooding in.
And it wasn’t just the locals getting their first day wagers in. Travelers from Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma each made their way into the Sunflower State to partake in the first-day festivities.
Where To Bet In Kansas
Today, retail betting is up and running at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, as well as the Hollywood Casino where Gov. Laura Kelly placed her wager.
Several other brick-and-mortar locations are expected to pop up in the legal sports betting state in the coming years.
The Boot Hill Casino and Kansas Crossing, for example, already have the necessary licensing for betting. However, the two have yet to finish preparations inside the casino to facilitate that kind of gambling.
Fortunately, bettors don’t have to worry about taking a trip to the east side to place their wagers. Kansas has already rolled out all of its online and mobile sports betting options. The state’s providers and their partners are as follows:
Barstool Sportsbook – Hollywood Casino
DraftKings – Boot Hill Casino & Resort
FanDuel – Kansas Star Casino
Caesars – Kansas Crossing Casino
BetMGM – Kansas Crossing Casino
PointsBet – Kansas Crossing Casino
Kansas Star, Boot Hill, and Hollywood Casino can each still accept digital sportsbook partnerships with up to two more companies. That considered, Kansas’ online gambling industry still has a lot of room to grow.
Developments Outside The Industry
In the meantime, the advent of digital betting options is expected to make major and positive changes outside of the industry. During Gov. Laura Kelly’s commencement speech, she emphasized the aspect of community uplift. She said,
“Now, casinos, restaurants, and other venues will have another way to attract Kansans to their establishments—creating jobs and driving economic growth. And I’m willing to bet on that. Go Chiefs!”
Set to become one of the biggest gambling markets in the Midwest, Kansans should be excited about what is to come.
Source: Kansas Office of The Governor, Kansas City Star
