Legislation
US – Sports betting progresses through Kansas Senate
By Phil - 2 March 2020
The Kansas Senate has passed a sports betting, following a key amendment that sees two per cent of sports betting revenue to fund gambling addiction programs bill.
It will now move on to the House with plenty of time before Kansas’ legislative session ends on May 31.
The bill was introduced by the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee and includes a 7.5 per cent tax on gross gaming revenue at retail locations and 10 per cent for online. Sports betting would be allowed at each of Kansas’ four existing casinos with each being allowed to two online skins, giving the state up to eight mobile platforms. The legislation would also allow sports betting at Kansas’ two major professional sports venues; Children’s Mercy Park (MLS) and Kansas Speedway. The four casinos are Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City and Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel in Pittsburg.
The state lottery would oversee sports betting and would be the ‘licensee or owner’ of any sports betting software.
Senator Jeff Longbine said: “This has put us in a position where we can establish sports gaming in Kansas and pull wagers from the black market, offshore, unregulated, untaxed market, bringing Kansas under a regulated state market.”
