Online sports betting in Kansas is already shaping up to be a who’s who of the big names in the industry — and right from the start as well.
For example, in the wake of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's announcement on Thursday that retail and online sportsbooks will begin taking bets as early as September 1, it was recently confirmed that DraftKings will be one of the first operators to launch in the state.
Butler National Corp. announced on Thursday that its wholly owned subsidiary managing the Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Dodge City, KS., has been approved to conduct sports betting by the Kansas Lottery. Butler said earlier in the summer that it had deals in place with DraftKings and Bally Bet-owner Bally's Corp. for online sports betting.
According to a press release, “DraftKings expects a timely debut of its Kansas platform on the day the regulators approve the initial launch.”
Boot Hill Casino is aiming to have an on-site sportsbook and to take bets shortly after DraftKings’ launch in the state.
"We've been working diligently with our current online wagering platform partners to bring online sports betting to Kansans just as soon as regulators give us the green light," said Clark Stewart, CEO of Butler National, in the release. "The approval of the Sports Wagering Management Contract brings us one step closer to that significant achievement."
Bookmakers dangling bonuses
Kelly announced on Thursday that a "soft launch" of legal sports betting will begin in Kansas starting on September 1, followed by a full launch on September 8. Kelly's press release noted that the online sportsbook platforms that were granted contracts would be announced soon.
Still, the big three operators — FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM — in addition to Caesars Sportsbook, PointsBet, and Barstool Sportsbook, are odds-on favorites to be among the first online sportsbooks to launch in Kansas, where there will be a limit of 12 mobile operators.
In a bid to stay ahead of smaller entrants, the big three have already been enticing prospective customers to sign up for their online betting apps. DraftKings is offering four free $25 bets (for a total of $100) for early signups on its Kansas site, while FanDuel is giving away a single $100 free wager.
Not to be outdone, BetMGM is offering an even juicier promotional giveaway with $200 in free bets. These pre-registration bonuses can be applied on any wager as soon as the three operators can officially launch their apps on September 1 and can begin taking mobile bets.
Now that Kansas is issuing provisional licenses, the major sportsbooks will be able to go live in time for the start of the NFL season. This will also come as a relief to both Kansans and especially neighboring Missourans, who will finally be able to use mobile betting apps to bet on pro sports.
"Legalizing sports betting is a common-sense solution that keeps Kansans’ money in Kansas and drives business to sporting events, casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues," Kelly said in the press release on Thursday. "I want to thank all our partners for working with us to get this done in time for football season."
The buddy system
Apart from DraftKings' partnership with Boot Hill, three other commercial casinos have been approved by the state to offer sports betting at their facilities and through the platforms of online sportsbook operators: Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kansas Crossing Casino & Hotel in Pittsburg, and Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.
FanDuel and BetMGM are both affiliated with Kansas Star, while Caesars Sportsbook and PointsBet will both be operating in conjunction with Kansas Crossing.
Although Hollywood Casino has not officially announced an online partner, it is likely to be Barstool Sportsbook which announced in July that it will be opening a temporary retail book at the facility in September.
The rapid launch of Kansas online sports betting bears out the optimistic assessment of Todd Allen, director of wagering at the Kansas Gaming and Racing Commission.
"Things have gone pretty smoothly," Allen said on Wednesday, a day before the official launch date confirmation by Gov. Kelly. "The law was just enacted on July 1st and we're just in the middle of August and we're talking about having this done pretty quickly so I would say that's one of the quicker turnarounds probably of any jurisdiction."
