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Missouri sports bettors have crossed into Kansas for nearly 3 years to position legal sports bets. Three years from now, Kansas homeowners may do the exact same.

Key takeaways

- Kansas lawmakers halted brand-new sportsbook license extensions until 2026, hinting at possible regulative modifications that might affect its six legal operators after 2027.

- Missouri is set to release legal mobile sportsbooks in late 2025, potentially reversing cross-border wagering trends as Kansas wagerers may head east.

- Future changes in Kansas could consist of a sole-operator design or tax hikes, affecting competition and encouraging wagerers to seek alternatives in Missouri.

Kansas sports wagering background

Kansas launched its very first legal mobile sportsbooks in 2022. Six books now take bets: BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics and FanDuel.

The ability to place legal bets in Kansas draws in wagerers on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro area to Kansas to bet, with some doing so most or almost every day of the week.

That could change if Kansas lawmakers upend the existing regulative structure. Sources inform Covers some lawmakers wish to increase the state's sports betting tax revenue, among the least expensive per capita of any of the 30 states with statewide legal mobile sportsbooks.

Kansas' likely reconsideration of its six-book legal sports betting market next year will come after Missouri goes cope with as many as a lots books; if Kansas considerably reduces its offerings, it could lead KS bettors to place bets in MO, sports betting the reverse of the current pattern
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The alterations might be as easy as a tax boost. It might likewise result in a sole-source operator model some legislators are thinking about, one that could produce more direct earnings for the state however potentially dislodge some or all of the six existing sportsbooks as soon as their licenses expire in Aug. 2027.

The legislation passed earlier this month just puts a prohibition until 2026, indicating Kansas' existing sportsbooks can take bets until their licenses end the following year. Lawmakers may not even think about a dramatic change to the regulatory structure when they reconvene for the 2026 session, indicating no perceptible effect for Sunflower State bettors.

But the license extension restriction leaves the possibility for dramatic modifications that didn't seem possible weeks ago.

Missouri sportsbooks prepare to introduce

The Kansas move comes as Missouri nears the launch of its legal sportsbooks.

Missouri's multi-year sports betting legalization push ended in Nov. 2024, when citizens directly approved a tally procedure to bring legal retail and online sportsbooks to the state. The vote followed years of unsuccessful efforts to legislate sports betting in the legislature.
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Missouri's legal sportsbooks are set to start taking bets in the fourth quarter of 2025. There are also set to be nearly twice as many betting options in Missouri as Kansas.
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FanDuel and DraftKings contributed more than $30 million to support the . The 2 U.S. market share leaders have actually, as expected, revealed strategies to take bets in Missouri when certified.
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Other books including BetMGM, BetRivers and Underdog likewise announced launch strategies. Bet365 struck an offer with MLB's St. Louis Cardinals and also prepares to accept bets in the state.
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Caesars, which opposed the ballot procedure over license allocation issues, runs 3 Missouri casinos and is eligible to introduce its online book in the state. Penn Entertainment (ESPN BET) and sports betting Bally's (Bally Bet) likewise operate Missouri casinos that give them instant market gain access to.
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Other books consisting of Hard Rock, reside in Illinois, might also pursue one of roughly two-dozen possible Missouri sports betting licenses.

The larger variety of Show Me State betting options could bring in Kansas wagerers in the Kansas City metro area to Missouri to put bets, reversing years of bettor traffic going the opposite direction. This could speed up if the Sunflower State reduces its sportsbook roster, especially if DraftKings and/or FanDuel can no longer accept bets.

Missouri citizens in the Kansas City metro were the most ardent fans of the sports wagering tally procedure, which might underscore homeowners' interest in putting bets in their home state once books go live.

Missouri's sports betting lineup doubts ahead of the 2025 launch. Kansas' sportsbooks might alter too in the taking place years.