Kansas Gambling Laws – Legal Games & Venues
Our article aims to inform you of the currently active Kansas gambling laws. The gambling legislation in the Wheat State allows players over the legal age to participate in games and wager on events. Amongst all else, we will tell you which are the legal gaming locations in the state, how old players have to be to play at them, and if the state has a winners tax.
The gambling laws in Kansas are applied mainly by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. We have dedicated a section of our article to the regulatory organs and their responsibilities regarding all gambling-related matters. Below, you can see the main section of this article. We will start with the laws and end with the Q&A section at the end of the article.
Gambling Laws in Kansas & Federal Gambling Legislation
Competitions and games have been spread throughout Kansas territory for a long time. Gambling became a problem when the Texas cowboys drove the cattle north and stayed in Kansas towns to rest and have fun. Their desire to make money while gambling drew the attention of other gamblers, gunslingers, and outlaws.
Any fan of the Old Wild West movies has heard of Dodge City, one of the havens for criminals, where things went out of hand. The government decided to put an end to the lawlessness and banned all gambling. Soon after that, in 1895, the state law permitted gambling on horse races at fairs. After that USA’s gambling legislation and the Kansas state gambling laws evolved. Here are the current laws regulating all legal gaming activities in the Wheat State:
| 🌻 Kansas Gambling Laws | ⚖️ Federal Gambling Laws |
|---|---|
| 👮 Kansas Constitution | ⚡ The Interstate Wire Act |
| ✔️ Kansas Expanded Gambling Law | 🏇 Horseracing Safety and Integrity Act |
| 🐴 Parimutuel Racing Act | 🏀 The Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) |
| ✨ Kansas Expanded Lottery Act | 🦅 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act |
| 🏹 Tribal Gaming Oversight Act | 🌐 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act |
Currently, there are no Kansas online gambling laws, but there are projects of bills and acts to be discussed in the future. That should not be a surprise because there are only a few states regulating online gaming in the USA. In our online gambling laws article, you can read some interesting info about the different gambling laws in different states and countries.
Legal Gambling Age in Kansas
In our gambling age worldwide article, you can read that the USA has one of the highest gambling age limits. Like in the rest of the states, the legal gambling age in Kansas for casino players is at least 21 years old. On the other hand, lottery, bingo, keno, and parimutuel games require at least 18-year-old players.
Winner’s Tax & Casino Revenue
All Kansas lottery wins of $600 and more are paid after the operator withholds 24% federal and 5% state taxes for IRS. Other gambling profits are calculated depending on the size of the prize, marital status, annual income, and more. The winners’ taxes can be returned after submitting a tax return form.
Gambling Crimes
According to the penial code and the gambling laws in Kansas, any form of cheating, illegal gambling, running or owning illegal gambling equipment, and more on behalf of the player or operator is a crime. Depending on the perpetrator and the severity of the crime, the penalty can be up to 23 months in jail, a fine up to $100,000, or both.
Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission
All gambling affairs in the state are monitored and governed by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC), Kansas Lottery Commission, Lottery Gaming Facility Review Board (LGFRB), and the Kansas State Gaming Agency. The difference is that the KRGC attends to different games and gambling activities, while the Kansas Lottery Commission is responsible for all lottery related matters.
The members of the commissions and the Review Board are selected because they meet certain requirements. For example, they should have high morals and business experience, but none is related to the gambling industry. The governor reviews the candidates and appoints them for a term, after which they can be re-elected, or another one takes the vacant position.
The KRGC takes upon itself to use educational, administrative and various law enforcement methods to eradicate illegal gaming and promote safe gambling in Kansas. The main duties of the KRGC (Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission) include, but are not limited to:
- Gambling Licenses: his includes considering operators’ applications, issuing, renewal, denial, change, and revoking licenses.
- Gaming Equipment: all gaming and gambling machines and equipment undergo regular inspections for fair play.
- Gambling Locations: the gambling locations are inspected for work conditions, safe gaming environment, underage gambling availability, and other violations of the Kansas criminal and gambling laws.
- Illegal Gambling: the commission, alongside the local police, investigates reports for illegal gaming, cheating, and any other disorderly conduct in the gambling locations.
The Kansas State Gaming Agency is the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission equivalent regarding the Indian gaming operations in Kansas. All Native American casinos in the Sunflower State follow the Tribal-State Compacts and the Tribal Gaming Oversight Act. The agency has special status, which we hope to introduce to you in detail in another article. Now, we will turn your attention to the legal casinos and games in Kansas.
Kansas Casinos & Legal Games
Once you read the Kansas gambling laws, you will notice that they allow almost all types of gambling locations except for riverboat casinos. If you wish to diverse your gambling experience with a trip down the river, you will have to go to the neighboring states Missouri and Iowa or go down to Louisiana and Mississippi. If you prefer to stay, you can choose to play at:
With all those gambling opportunities, there is no doubt that players can have a great time in Kansas. Even those who have never played at a casino or visited a speedway are welcome to try all those entertainments. Once again, we remind that gamblers have to be at least 21 years old to place a wager on most games at land-based and the best US online casinos. To have a great gaming experience, it is best to check the casino’s policy upon entry and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Kansas Gambling Laws & Gambling Addiction
Paying the taxes after winning and following the legal gambling age in Kansas guidelines are two gamblers’ obligations. The third and the essential task is to avoid gambling addiction. This may not seem like a serious threat, but according to the psychology of gambling, almost all players are prone to become addicts.
There are many organizations ready to assist gamblers in need in any way possible. There are support groups, psychiatrists, medical facilities, phone support lines, and other ways to seek and get help. The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission also administers a Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) state-wise. This program helps problem gamblers to acknowledge the gambling problem and stop entering Kansas casinos.
The Kansas VEP program offers two options for exclusion. Players can either choose a two-year or a lifetime exclusion from the casinos. After submitting a request for self-exclusion, the local casinos receive information about the players and don’t allow them in the casinos. Any trespasser will have their chips, tickets, and winnings found on them confiscated and forfeited.
This volunteer program is the first step towards defeating the gambling addiction. Beyond this point, it is up to the player to continue the recovery. In case more help is needed, it is recommendable to contact Gamblers Anonymous or another organization.
Kansas Gambling Laws Popular Questions
In our article, we listed the active Kansas gambling laws. Here, we will answer important questions about gambling in Kansas. Every answer has brief information on the matter and a link to the relevant section in our article.
