Kansas Casino Laws

  • Bingo (1974) Racing (1986), Lottery (1986), Casinos (2007)
  • $130 million
  • $500 million
  • 18 for lotteries and charitable gambling, 21 for racing and casinos
  • Kansas exempts casinos from a statewide smoking ban
  • Racing and daily fantasy sports

Casino gambling is not the only type of gambling that exists, nor is it the only kind of gambling addressed by state laws. There are many different ways to gamble. The most common subject of regulation is wagering on contests, such as horse racing. In 2007, the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act was passed allowing the state of Kansas to own and operate four casinos with slot machines and racing. Commercial gambling is illegal except for the state owned facilities at Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, and Hollywood Casino in Kansas City and Native American gaming. The laws against gambling in the state of Kansas are quite simple. The law against gambling is set out as follows: “221-6404 Gambling. (a) Gambling is: (1) Making a bet; or (2) Entering or remaining in a gambling place with intent to make a bet, to participate in a lottery or play a gambling device. (b) Gambling is a class B nonperson.

Kansas Casino Laws

Kansas gambling lagged behind other states in the region. Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado already had casinos before Kansas legalized them. There are three Kansas casinos operated by the state lottery. There are five Kansas Native American casinos located on reservation land that must follow the same laws, but do not contribute to the state’s general tax fund.

Kansas has a state lottery. Sales are not legal over the Internet. Tickets may only be purchased at retailers, which are generally convenience stores.

Kansas has legalized racing. This includes greyhound and horse racing. Neither operates in the state at this time. Off-track betting is legal but there are no venues for it except over the Internet. Kansas is one of just two states that have expressly authorized daily fantasy sports.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Kansas

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Kansas Casino Laws

Kansas Casinos Map & Guide

  • Boot Hill
  • Hollywood Casino
  • Kansas Star
  • Prairie Band Casino
  • Golden Eagle
  • 8
  • 4
  • 5

Types of Kansas Online Gambling Allowed

There are two types of online gambling legal in Kansas. Off-track betting on horses and greyhounds is legal. The action goes into pari-mutuel pools just as they would at the track. This is the only way to bet on horses or greyhounds in Kansas as there are no tracks open in the state.

The other form of legal online gambling is fantasy sports. While there is some question about daily fantasy sports, Kansas codified the general exemption under the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. StarsDraft and Star Fantasy Leagues, the most conservative of daily fantasy sports sites, operate in the state. DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports, and Yahoo! are the major sites that accept daily fantasy sports players from Kansas.

Types of Live Kansas Gambling

  • Slots: Yes
  • Blackjack: Yes
  • Poker: Yes
  • Craps/Roulette: Yes
  • Horses: Yes
  • Lottery: Yes

Lottery tickets may be purchased at retailers throughout the state. Scratch-off tickets and lottos are the types of sales permitted. These include state games like Pick 3, 2 by 2, and Super Kansas Cash. Multi-state drawings include Powerball and Mega Millions are also available to Kansas players.

Horse and greyhound racing is legal in Kansas. There are no live tracks or racebooks at this time.

There are eight Kansas casinos that currently operate within the state. Five are Native American casinos. The three commercial Kansas casinos are regulated through a partnership with the Kansas Lottery. All casino games one would find in Las Vegas are legal in Kansas. This includes slots, video poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, live poker, and table games that use cards.

Kansas Gambling Laws

Kansas gambling laws and codes are strict for activities that are not explicitly legalized through the state constitution. Unlike some states that only punish operators, players also commit a crime if participating in games of chance for money. It is a misdemeanor to gamble at an unlicensed establishment. The operator faces a level 8 felony charge.

Charities are allowed to operate two forms of games of chance under Kansas gambling laws. Bingo has been legal in Kansas for more than 40 years. In 2014, voters approved a constitutional amendment that added raffles to the approved list of charitable games. Nonprofit organizations must register with the state.

Racing Rise and Fall

Racing was approved through a constitutional amendment by voters. It legalized horse and greyhound racing. This also permitted off-track racing. While both horseracing and greyhound tracks are legal, neither operate today. The legalization of casinos finished off the industry that was already dying. Off-track betting is legal in Kansas but there are no facilities where these services are available.

A state lottery was created the same year as racing. It sells scratch-off and lotto tickets. The Kansas Lottery is not permitted to sell tickets over the Internet. The lottery must be renewed every 15 years through legislation.

Casinos are operated by the state lottery. Gaming companies manage the casinos and receive 73% of the win. Problem gambling services receive 2% of the win. The local jurisdiction where the casino is located receives 3% of the revenue won by the gaming establishments.

Kansas Laws And Regulations

Daily Fantasy Sports

Kansas is one of just two states that have passed a daily fantasy sports law. Maryland is the other. Kansas copied the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act’s language that pertains to fantasy sports. This covers contests where the house does not have an interest. Fantasy picks must be spread across more than one game. This replaced language that did not permit fantasy sports previously.

State law requires lottery ticket buyers and charitable gaming establishments to exclude anybody under 18 years of age. Casinos have a minimum age of 21 years. Racing venues, if they still existed, would have a minimum age of 21. Online racing sites and mobile betting apps must restrict access to players under 21.

List of Kansas Casinos

Horse and greyhound racing is technically legal in Kansas. The same applies to off-track betting. There are no establishments with either type of action. The Kansas casinos that opened in 2007 siphoned off that revenue and put an end to the racing industry in Kansas. There are eight casinos in Kansas which you will find listed in the table below, including their location and website. You can get specific directions from our Kansas casinos map.

CasinoSizeAddressWebsite
7th Street Casino – Kansas City600 Slot Machines777 North 7th Street Trafficwaywww.7th-streetcasino.com
Boot Hill Casino – Dodge City580 Slot Machines4000 W. Comanchewww.boothillcasino.com
Casino White Cloud – White Cloud380 Slot Machines777 Jackpot Drivewww.casinowhitecloud.org
Golden Eagle Casino – Horton750 Slot Machines1121 Goldfinch Roadwww.goldeneaglecasino.com
Hollywood Casino – Kansas City2,000 Slot Machines777 Hollywood Casino Blvd.www.hollywoodcasinokansas.com
Kansas Star Casino – Mulvane1,850 Slot Machines108 West Main St.www.kansasstarcasino.com
Prairie Band Casino – Mayetta1,100 Slot Machines12305 150th Roadwww.prairieband.com
Sac & Fox Casino – Powhattan700 Slot Machines1322 US Highway 75www.sacandfoxcasino.com

There are two casinos in the planning stages. Kansas Crossing Casino will open in Pittsburg in late 2016. That is the southeastern corridor’s lottery casino. Downstream Casino will open in Quapaw. The same tribe already operates a casino in Oklahoma.

History of Kansas Gambling

The first step towards legalizing gambling in Kansas was a constitutional amendment to permit bingo for charities. That occurred in 1974. It was 12 years before voters amended the constitution to expand gambling. That was to create a state lottery. Racing was also legalized in the same referendum. Greyhounds came first. Horses quickly joined greyhounds and tracks that offered pari-mutuel wagering. Off-track betting was also legalized.

Woodlands Racetrack was the first in Kansas. Wichita Greyhound Park was the second. Both have since closed. The last race was in 2010. Phil Ruffin, the billionaire owner of Treasure Island in Las Vegas, acquired Woodlands Racetrack in 2015 on the hopes that it could be reopened. Ruffin is pushing a bill that would permit the tracks to operate slots and video poker. Ruffin is the former owner of the Wichita Greyhound Park.

Attempts to legalize slots at racetracks and create casinos in Kansas started in the mid-1990’s. Voters finally approved casinos in 2007. The state set up four sections of the state for casinos. One casino is permitted in each. There are already three Kansas casinos that are currently operating. A southeast Kansas casino is set to launch in late 2016.

Kansas Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Yes, but there are no tracks open.

Yes, but like horse racing, there are no open tracks.

Yes, but there are no race books in the state because all of the tracks closed.

TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica offer websites and mobile apps that accept Kansas players.

The minimum Kansas gambling age is 18 years for lottery, bingo, and raffle players. The minimum gambling age for off-track bettors and casino patrons is 21 years old.

Yes, there are eight casinos in the state.

All standard games are legal in Kansas casinos. This includes slots, video poker, live poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker and baccarat.

Yes, there are four poker rooms in Kansas.

Are There Any Casinos In Kansas

Boot Hill, Hollywood Casino, Kansas Star and Prairie Band Casino all have poker rooms.

Laws

Kansas Casino Laws

Yes, the state legalized daily fantasy sports sites in 2015.