Kansas Sports Gambling Laws
Online sports betting became legal in Kansas after senator Laura Kelly signed SB84 into law on May 12, 2022, overturning the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The law took full effect on July 1, 2022, followed by a soft launch of legal sportsbooks on September 1, 2022. Prior to the launch, local residents would cross the border and wager online bets in Colorado.
Since then, the state has seen the arrival of first-class betting sites such as BetMGM and DraftKings. According to KSN.com, sports betting in the state generated over $1 million in revenue in the first month – which shows the demand for more quality sportsbooks to enter the market.
Sports betting wagers in the Sunflower State are currently overseen by the Kansas Lottery and the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission.
There are plenty of other legal forms of gambling available in the state. Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) has been legal since May 2015, while the Kansas Lottery has been operational since 1987. No persons under the age of 18 are permitted to purchase lottery tickets.
Interestingly, there are no legal online casinos available in Kansas. However, there are six Native American casinos and four state-licensed casinos that accept residents 21 years old and over. In addition, there is no law that prohibits online poker, yet there are no legal online poker operators currently available in the state.
In the meantime, check out the best legal online sportsbook in Kansas where you can legally wager on your favorite sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, and NCAAB.
Paying Taxes on Online Sports Betting Winnings in Kansas
All sports betting winnings are considered taxable income in Kansas. How much you should expect to pay will depend on your annual earnings and tax bracket. The state currently has a progressive individual income tax scale, meaning sports bettors could fork out between 3.1% and 5.7% of their winnings in taxes.
Similarly, the Kansas Lottery automatically withholds 24% of your winnings for federal taxes and 5% for state taxes. The lottery does not withhold any taxes for wins between $601 and $500. However, you will receive a W-2G form, which the lottery shares with the IRS.