In its first three months of operation, Kansas sports betting has generated over $500 million in betting handle. Many were skeptical that the industry would not catch on as it has in other legal jurisdictions.
But gambling in Kansas has managed to eclipse over $160 million in each of the last three months.
Gov. Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 84 legalizing Kansas sports betting on May 12, 2022. The state began taking bets on Sept. 1, with an official launch on Sept. 8, 2022.
Kansas sports betting already showing dividends
In just three months, Kansas has established itself as a profitable jurisdiction in the US sports betting market. Sports betting handle from September through November:
- September – $160.5 million
- October – $189.9 million
- November – $186.3 million
Stephen Durrell, executive director of the Kansas Lottery, said there would be a “sorting out period” in the gambling/lottery sectors, but there was no evidence of cannibalization. “They like to stay in their individual silos. They don’t typically cannibalize each other.”
The state’s four casinos manage sports betting in Kansas. Those casinos are located in Dodge City, Pittsburg, Mulvane and Kansas City.
- Boot Hill Casino & Resort + DraftKings (Dodge City)
- Kansas Crossing Casino + Hotel + BetMGM, Caesars, PointsBet (Pittsburg)
- Kansas Star Casino +FanDuel (Mulvane)
- Hollywood Casino + Barstool (Kansas City, KS)
Revenue by gambling sector in Kansas
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 11, more than $2.4 million in sports bets were placed in Kansas, resulting in $47 million in winnings.
Sports betting revenue has significantly increased over the past three months, climbing from $1.29 million in September to $8 million in November. After the first month, Gov. Kelly said:
“These revenues reinforce what we already knew: Legal sports betting is a common-sense solution that keeps Kansans’ money in Kansas and supports Kansas businesses. While legal wagering is just in its infancy, these revenues will continue to grow and benefit the state over time.”
As for general casino revenue during the last three months, the state’s four properties did not fair as well. The following is a breakdown of casino revenue outside of sports betting for the past three months.
Casino revenue:
- September – $33.7 million
- October – $32.9 million
- November – $31.6 million
As for the state lottery, ticket sales have increased from September through November.
Lottery ticket sales:
- September – $24.6 million
- October – $30.2 million
- November – $35.5 million
