After Gov. Laura Kelly signed the sports betting law in May, Kansas state officials announced they’re looking to launch online sports betting in time for the NFL season. The statement was bold, and as the deadline approached with virtually no regulations being settled, sports wagering launch in time for the football season seemed increasingly unlikely. Now, the skeptics will have to retract their suspicions.
Around mid-August, Kansas state officials announced that sports betting would go live on September 1st, before the NFL season launch as intended. The “soft launch” takes place in four state-owned casinos, followed by an official full launch a week later on September 8th. This soft launch aims to ensure that all technical glitches and other problems could be solved by the NFL season opening on the 8th. We’ve listed some of the top Kansas betting apps that are launching in time for the football season.
Sportsbooks Launching in Kansas
For months now, there’ve been speculations about sportsbook operators aiming for a September 1st launch in Kansas. Of course, nobody can say for sure which brands are launching and when, but based on the patterns of the latest state launches, accurate predictions are possible. Many operators have already confirmed their presence in the Sunflower state by revealing early registration promotions or outright stating their upcoming launch.
1. DraftKings
It comes as no surprise that DraftKings, a nationwide fan favorite in DFS and sports betting, was one of the first operators to announce their upcoming Kansas sportsbook. DraftKings unveiled their pre-registration campaign, offering free bets worth $100 to new registrants ahead of the state launch. With their well-established following and a top-tier sports betting platform, DraftKings’ arrival to the Kansan sports betting world sets the bar high. DraftKings Kansas is partnering with Boot Hill Casino for its operations.
2. BetMGM
BetMGM has gained footing as one of the most reputable betting platforms in the US. Having partnered with Kansas Star Casino, BetMGM’s launch in the Sunflower state is bound to spice things up by combining competitive odds, attractive bonuses, and exciting promotions. BetMGM Kansas Bonus Code ups the ante by offering early registrants double the free bets as the primary competitors, bumping the early sign-up bonus value to $200.
3. FanDuel
FanDuel, one of the biggest names in the DFS and sports betting markets nationwide, is joining the Kansas launch hype. Also partnering with Kansas Star Casino, FanDuel’s entry into the Kansas market will certainly bring stiff competition amongst the top sportsbooks. FanDuel and DraftKings were among the first operators to publish early registration promotions for Kansas. Like their renowned competitor, FanDuel Kansas offers $100 free bets for early sign-ups, no deposit required.
Other Operators
In addition to the sportsbooks above, a handful of sports betting operators are expected to launch on September 1st. Although no public statements have necessarily been made as of yet, we’d be astonished to see operators that already have established partnerships with land-based casinos in Kansas miss out on the KS launch. Such operators include Caesars Kansas (Kansas Crossing Casino), PointsBet Kansas (Kansas Crossing Casino), and Barstool sportsbook (Hollywood Casino).