PointsBet in line for September Kansas sportsbook debut
Operator granted license in Sunflower State ahead of record-breaking regulated market launch
PointsBet has been awarded a sports betting license in Kansas by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC).
The Australian-headquartered operator confirmed receipt of the provisional certification, which grants PointsBet the right to soft launch on September 1, pending final launch authorisation.
Once this is received, PointsBet will be free to fully launch when the Kansas sportsbook market goes live on September 8.
PointsBet secured market access in Kansas via a ‘primary skin’ agreement with Kansas Crossing Casino earlier this year.
Kansas Crossing operates the Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel, located in the heart of the four-state area, a short distance from the border of Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Kansas will represent PointsBet’s 11th online sportsbook jurisdiction following successful launches in New Jersey, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania.
PointsBet group CEO and managing director Sam Swanell welcomed the launch in the Sunflower State, citing the benefits of the launch taking place before the NFL season begins.
“We are excited to be launching on the starting line and having our outstanding sportsbook product available to the people of Kansas from day one,” Swannell explained.
“With the NFL season kicking off on September 9 the timing is perfect to showcase our NFL in-play betting capabilities in particular,” he added.
The license award is the first following the decision by the Kansas Attorney General to green light sports betting regulations authored by the Kansas Lottery earlier this year following passage of the bill into law in July.
Other operators approved though not confirmed include FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and DraftKings.
Under approved legislation, each of the four casinos in Kansas will be permitted to operate a retail sportsbook. In addition, they can partner with 50 retail establishments, such as restaurants or gas stations, to offer in-person betting via kiosks.
The state’s casinos will also be granted three online skins that will provide entry points to the market for the likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, and other prominent online operators.
FanDuel, through its partnership with Boyd Gaming, and Penn National Gaming – which owns Barstool Sportsbook – already has market access thanks to the retail presence of Boyd and Penn in Kansas.
The state will tax both in-person and online wagers at 10%, with 80% of the resulting tax revenue set to be earmarked for the purposes of attracting professional sports teams to Kansas.