In theory, Kansas sports betting may have nearly 6 million possible wagerers. Online sportsbook operators call a more scientific version of that “total addressable market (TAM),” and the term will be relevant when sports betting officially launches on Sept. 8, the same day the NFL season begins. Soft launches, or testing the apps with limited times and/or audiences, begin on Sept. 1.
Kansas only houses 3 million residents, according to the US Census Bureau. However, more than 6 million people reside within the borders of the eastern neighbor, Missouri.
That state doesn’t yet have legal online sports betting. However, it contains the Kansas City Chiefs. The first season game will take place on Sept. 11 in Arizona, with the 2020 Super Bowl champions taking on the Arizona Cardinals.
So if any of those 4 million residents age 21 or older want to gamble on their team on their mobile devices, they may traverse the border and join the 2 million eligible Kansas bettors. TAM estimates are extrapolated from Infoplease data.
Of course, not all of those adults will become online sports bettors.
However, several Kansas online sportsbooks are already accepting registrations for those who plan to do so. That’s happening even before online sports betting soft launches and retail sportsbooks begin accepting in-person wagers on Sept. 8.
The operators accepting pre-launch registrants include:
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
Sports Betting Legal in Kansas
Today, Gov. Laura Kelly announced the details of the Kansas sports betting launch.
Kelly’s announcement says:
Kansas’ four state-owned casinos can begin accepting wagers in person and on mobile platforms starting September 1, 2022, and will officially open September 8. Sports wagering, like all gaming in Kansas, is owned by the state and operated by the Kansas Lottery. Under temporary rules and regulations, the state’s four casino gaming partners can begin launching sports betting just in time for the first professional football game on September 8.
The retail casinos are:
- Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Ford County near Dodge City;
- Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane;
- Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS; and
- Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel in Pittsburg.
She says tribal casinos are working on sports betting contracts with the state and will launch soon. Most of the 11 tribal casinos in Kansas are clustered around Kansas City, according to an American Gaming Association (AGA) map.
The Sept. 1 Kansas sports betting soft launch will begin at noon, according to a video from Stephen Durrell, executive director of the Kansas Lottery.
Durrell says in today’s video:
There are still several regulatory and administrative hurdles that we need to get through to make this launch a reality, but we’re hopeful we can get there. A lot of people worked very hard in a very short amount of time to make sports wagering a reality here in the state.
Kelly signed Senate Bill 84 into law in May. While today’s announcement shows several aspects of the launch appear in place, the new tribal compacts with the state still need to happen. Also, questions remain about the “restaurants and nonprofit fraternal or veterans organizations” being allowed to offer sports betting.
Durrell says his next video will answer frequently asked questions and Kelly linked to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) website for “additional information.” The KRGC, in turn, links to the sports wagering regulations.
The KRGC home page optimistically says:
Thank you for your patience as we work through the Sports Wagering process in Kansas.
Millions of people are watching. No pressure.
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