Kansas sports betting regulators are still hard at work, but a debut by the start of the NFL season might be slipping away.
A KS sports betting launch sometime during the football season is likely, but NFL betting on Sept. 8 might be a stretch, said Todd Allen, director of wagering at the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.
“I don’t think there’s any problems with anything,” Allen told LSR this week. “Things seem to be moving smoothly. It’s just probably hard to make an opening weekend.
“I sure wouldn’t want to guarantee anything like that.”
Kansas sports betting regulations nearing approval
Allen said teams at the KRGC and the Kansas Lottery are working diligently to get sports betting off the ground as quickly as possible. That includes draft regulations likely in front of the commission at its August 12 meeting.
If approved there, Allen said an application to the state for temporary regulations will be submitted. Then the KRGC will work on internal controls with operators.
Meanwhile, the lottery is working on contracts between the four state-owned casinos and the sports betting operator partners they selected.
Kansas casino partners making process easy
Kansas regulators have worked with all of the casinos since at least 2017. All four can partner with up to three sportsbook operators for online sports betting.
“We’ve got some good relationships established with them and those make it go a lot smoother,” Allen said. “They each have the ability to have three interactive sports wagering providers, and there’s a few that have not filled that allotment, and that’s OK. They can launch with who they have ready to go when we get ready to start this in Kansas.”
| Casino | Operator | Sportsbook | Sportsbook | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino | Penn National | Barstool | ||
| Kansas Star Casino | Boyd Gaming | FanDuel | ||
| Boot Hill Casino & Resort | Boot Hill Gaming | DraftKings | Bally Bet | Golden Nugget |
| Kansas Crossing Casino | Peninsula Pacific Ent. | PointsBet | Caesars | BetMGM |
Partnerships lining up in Kansas
Multiple operators had Kansas sports betting access lined up for several years, including PointsBet, which announced its deal with Kansas Crossing Casino in January 2020. Caesars Sportsbook also has access through Kansas Crossing.
Despite operators previously announcing the agreements, Boot Hill Casino announced its partnerships with DraftKings and Bally Bet in May.
Late last month, Kansas Speedway announced the Hollywood Casino would take on new naming rights to its Sept. 11 race, making it the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by Barstool Sportsbook. Hollywood Casino is planning a Barstool retail sportsbook, including a patio overlooking the racetrack.
The Kansas Star Casino is operated by Boyd Gaming and has partnerships with BetMGM and FanDuel lined up.
