Kansas Sports Wagering Act May Include Mobile Apps; Betting At Local Restaurants and Bars

TOPEKA, Kan. – Over a month has passed since the Kansas Sports Wagering Act was introduced to the State House of Representative and almost all options are still on the table. Kansas Rep. Francis Awerkamp gave new insight on the subject to the State Affairs and Senate Federal Committee last week. 

Awerkamp claims the debate primarily lies within four possible routes that the state could take. The first would favor the state’s casinos heavily and permit them to accept sports wagers on-site or through their own website or app.

The next option would favor more local businesses and may possibly keep more tax revenues. The plan would include an app that is geo-fenced by the lottery so that users could access the app at restaurants, bars, racetracks and possibly casinos as well.

The last two points of contention would be whether or not to have a mobile sports betting app run exclusively through the lottery, or to allow casino apps to co-exist with them.

The Act, also known as HB 2068, was introduced with language specifically stating that the Kansas Lottery will have the ability to offer sports wagering, but contention coming from the state’s casinos may have caused some delay.

Kansas Representative Brandan Woodard shed some light into some state official’s current perspective on the matter. 

“I am from the position, as long as it is well regulated and accessible to as many consumers as possible, I think it is good for Kansas,” he said.

If lawmakers hope to bring sports betting this year, they will have to decide who will be granted the privilege before the legislative session ends in early May.