With the Missouri Board of State Canvassers confirming the approval of sports betting this week, Kansas officials are preparing for changes to their betting market, as reported by WIBW.
The market has generated $91 million this year and more than $200 million since launching in 2022.
Until now, Missouri bettors had to cross over the border to Kansas to place their bets. But voters narrowly approved a ballot to legalize sports betting in the state by 2,961 votes – a 50.05% approval rate. Regulators have been given a December 2025 deadline to launch the market. However, Kansas officials aren’t too concerned about the losses.
“It has been incredibly popular, more so than we even predicted here in the state,” Kansas Lottery spokesman Cory Thone told WIBW. “I think there would certainly be some type of impact but I’m not sure how much it’s going to be. I don’t want to speculate. For a lot of these people that live in Missouri that maybe were coming to Kansas, I would expect them to keep their Kansas account so maybe when they are in the state they will make a bet when they are here but they also have options somewhere else as well.”
