First year of legal sports betting brings nearly $6M to Kansas

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) said it’s been a smooth transition introducing the new gambling service to the state. 

At Kansas State Casino in Mulvane, people are enjoying the new addition. 

Doug Lang, Kansas Star Casino vice president and general manager commented: "Now, for us as a full resort destination, we get a whole new group of folks coming in to watch games, and it’s allowed us to introduce them to what we have here at the Kansas Star” .

Fall sports season is a busy time for its service, Fanduel Sportsbook. 

“We’ve extended our hours of operation, we’ve provided more staffing, and it’s just for us a really great experience to provide for our players,” said Lang. 

As sports betting became legal, concerns were heightened for gambling addictions.

“There was a slight uptick in the calls to the problem gambling helpline,” said South Central Kansas Problem Gambling Task Force chair Stephenie Roberts. 

Roberts said betting on your phone can make a difference.

“Which increases the risk that someone is going to develop a problem because easy accessibility means they don’t have to wait, and with sports betting in particular, there are multiple ways to bet on a game,” said Roberts. 

The KRGC said the new list to voluntarily ban yourself from sports wagering in the state gained about 150 people in the first year. 

“I would say that that is pretty standard for the casino sizes that we have,” said Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission government relations manager Randy Evans. 

Kansas Star Casino said each employee is trained on the signs of problem gambling to encourage responsible playing. 

The task force wants to see more advertising for the helpline as betting continues, as well as education and more restrictions to help stop kids from accessing bets on their phones. 

The KRGC said it expects sports betting to increase in this second year as people are more comfortable with placing bets on their phones or at casinos. 

By Samantha Boring