Kansas Online Betting Sites

When we started to write our page about the gambling laws in Kansas, we had a predisposition based on what we thought we knew about the state: middle of the country, lots of farms, and a love of college sports, specifically basketball. With that in mind, we assumed that the state would have a relatively progressive outlook on gambling as a whole. What we found was completely different, and with that, we thought we’d try to outline it all for you to understand.

Sports Betting in Kansas

With the immense popularity of the Kansas Jayhawks college basketball team, it would be understandable if you thought that people would be betting heavily on their home state team. This may very well be the case, but if they are it is happening illegally.

As with every other state except Nevada, previous to this year it was illegal to take bets on sporting events. Now, in May of 2018, the United States Supreme Court decided in favor of repealing a law that had been on the books since 1992. This means that each individual state has the right to offer regulated sports betting should it so choose.

Of course, this also means writing a bill and having it debated and passed, and only a handful of states have done so since the decision in May. Kansas is not one of those states, so for the time being, any betting activity that takes place in the state is considered illegal. New laws are being debated this year however and hopefully a sports betting law will be passed in 2019 in Kansas.

Online Sports Betting

It is important to make a distinction when talking about what is legal and illegal when it comes to sports betting. While it is illegal for a Kansas-based entity to offer sports betting, it is not illegal for someone to currently place a bet. No players have been prosecuted, which opens the door to betting with an online sportsbook. It is always a bad idea to do so however as these online sportsbooks do not offer any player protection or security guarantees.

We want to help you find the right online sportsbook, so we will review all the legal sportsbooks in Iowa when they start appearing.

While you may be looking for a particular game to bet, you should also be looking for things like the promotions being offered, the VIP status levels a site gives its most loyal players, and the mobile compatibility of the site. All this adds up to the perfect site for you, and we think it is very likely going to come from our recommended list.

Horse Betting in Kansas

Here is where things start to get a little weird. At one point in history, there were operators of live horse and dog races. These operators would receive a license to run these events, and Kansas residents could bet on the outcomes. Then, for some reason, the state revoked these licenses in 2008, leaving the state with no live racing, and with no off-track betting locations for people to bet on simulcasted races from around the country. There has been no movement on that front for the last decade, which has to be a disappointment for the horse racing industry and those who love to bet on the ponies. It is very possible that the discussion of legal sports betting may reopen the possibility of re-licensing tracks and OTBs.

Online Horse Betting

One place where horse racing fans in Kansas can find some solace is online. There are many online sites that offer pari-mutuel betting on horse and dog races from around the U.S. and Canada, and these bets are only a click away. Twinspires and DRFBets lead the pack of these sites, and while it is unclear if they are technically allowed to accept wagers from Kansas, there is nothing stopping them currently. So, if you are looking to make a bet on the Kentucky Derby or any race happening in the States, check out one of those sites.

Casino Gambling in Kansas

While horse racing got the bum’s rush in Kansas, the same cannot be said for fans of casino games. The state has many casinos spread all over, and the majority of the gaming action is tied to the several Native American tribes that are located there. It all started with a compact between the state and tribes in 1988, and since then several full-scale casinos have been opened on tribal lands. The state wanted to continue to capitalize on the growth of casino gaming, so it created a law in the late 2000s that would allow for a small number of casinos owned and operated by the state lottery. There are now three of these properties in the state, and all of the casinos do excellent business in both slot machines and table games.

Online Casinos in Kansas

None of the land-based casinos are allowed to offer online versions of their games in Kansas, so they are shut out from trying to extend their relationship with players past the front doors. This will change soon probably as online casino gambling laws will certainly be passed in the years to come in Kansas.

Once it does our expert team will review all of the online casinos licensed in Kansas to present a list of the best ones. If you see a casino on this list, it means that our casino experts (and we have many) have completed a thorough review of the operator, covering everything from the company background to the types of complaints that it receives in forums. These sites have passed the tests our team has put them through, so we are happy to recommend them to you. On top of being trustworthy, these online casinos also offer the best games available in the market, and some even have seven-figure progressive jackpots just for spinning the right combination on a slot machine. Table games enthusiasts will find all their favorites at these online casinos as well.

Lottery in Kansas

Kansas residents have enjoyed playing lottery games for decades. As with most states, the Kansas Lottery was established as a way to generate much-needed funds for education and social programs assist other Kansas residents. To date, hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised by the lottery for a lot of great causes. Players can play scratch cards at many retail outlets, as well as taking their shot to win a draw lottery prize that could range from a few hundred dollars in a Pick 3 to a few hundred MILLION dollars in Powerball.

Is sports betting legal in Kansas?

Today, sports betting is not legal in Kansas, but that doesn’t stop residents from betting millions of dollars annually through illicit means. That being said, we recommend that you wait for one of the many legal online sportsbooks that will become available later this year in Iowa. Hopefully, the state legislators will think progressively about sports betting.

When will sports betting be legal in Kansas?

Well, even though we are hopeful that the state will make a move on legalizing sports betting soon, the reality is that the government has taken a very conservative stance on horse racing, so we don’t know why they would think any differently about sports betting. While other states are planning to launch their platforms in 2019, we think residents of Kansas will be out of luck for a while, and likely won’t see sports betting legalized until the end of 2019.

What is the best online sportsbook for residents of Kansas?

The first thing we would suggest is to wait for the laws to change in Kansas. Betting with illegal sportsbooks is never a good idea. When trying to find the best online sportsbook from the many that are out there is which one is going to get you your winnings the fastest and only Kansas licensed betting sites can guarantee that. This is the single biggest concern for anyone who gambles online, so doing your research on available payment methods and choosing a site that has a track record of paying quickly is a great place to start. Aside from that, it comes down to what you want from a site – bonuses and promotions, or specific bet types that are the common ones found in the industry. Our reviews will help you find the very best online sportsbook for all your gambling needs.