Kansas lawmakers discuss ways to improve sports betting policies

TOPEKA (KSNT) — The Kansas Legislature is taking a closer look at sports betting, and some lawmakers say state revenue numbers are not as high as they could be.

During the Special Committee on Federal and State affairs on Sept. 22, Kansas lawmakers learned more about why the state should be concerned about the amount of revenue it receives from sports gambling. Currently, Kansas receives 6.5% of all sports betting revenue in the Sunflower State. The rest goes to casinos and betting companies.

Kansas has one of the lowest rates in the country. Only Arizona and Michigan have lower rates.

When the original sports gaming law was passed in 2022, the state was supposed to receive 10% of all sports betting revenue. However, a provision in the law has allowed some companies to avoid taxes, resulting in less money for the state.

Kansas lawmakers are now expressing interest in changing the current sports betting laws, to allow the state to get a larger cut of the revenue. Last year, Kansas earned more than $17 million in revenue from sports wagering. Kansas Representative Tom Kessler said the legislature would like to increase that number.

"There have been some concerns over the amount of money that the state actually gets as far as actual hard revenue from this section of the betting," Kessler said. "We're talking about the finances of it, where that money is at, where that money goes, and whether or not there a better path."

So far, most of the money that has been collected from sports betting here in Kansas has gone towards a state fund that aims to attract professional sports teams to the Sunflower State. This fund would work in addition to the star bonds to try and lure the Chiefs and Royals across the state line.

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