Kansas Online Gambling
Like most states, the Kansas online gambling market features a mix of regulated and prohibited activities. State law permits online sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and advance deposit wagering on horse races.
Online casinos and poker remain illegal under broad gambling prohibitions, but sweepstakes casinos and poker sites operate in a legal gray area as widely accessible alternatives.
Continue below for a complete overview of legal Kansas online gambling options, key rules, responsible gambling resources, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Legal Kansas Gambling Sites
21+ and present in KS. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Getting Help is Your Best Bet. Call 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com.
Kansas Online Gambling Overview
| Types of Gambling (minimum age) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under KS Stat § 21-6403 |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Gray Area | Operates under federal sweepstakes law; accessible but unregulated in KS |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Treated as a game of chance and prohibited under the same statute that bans online casinos |
| Online Sports Betting (21+) | Legal/Regulated | Authorized via SB 84 (2022); regulated by KRGC |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Exempt from gambling laws per HB 2155 (2015) but not regulated |
| Fantasy Pick’em Contests (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | KRGC considers player-vs-house pick’em contests illegal but permits peer-to-peer variants |
| Online Lottery Sales 18+) | Legal/Regulated | Kansas Lottery offers online ticket sales and “eInstants” |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | State law does not address advance deposit wagering, but major ADWs operate openly |
Kansas Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in Kansas.
State statutes contain broad prohibitions against unauthorized gambling that cover online casino games and target individual players for participation.
KS Stat § 21-6404 defines illegal “gambling” as “making a bet,” which is further defined as a bargain dependent on chance where something of value is at stake.
Unlike many states where online casinos are simply not authorized, Kansas law makes it a class B misdemeanor to participate in illegal gambling.
Although Kansas authorities target those who operate illegal gambling businesses, the law technically makes it unlawful to play at online casinos in Kansas. In practice, the state has never targeted residents for merely gambling online from home.
However, offshore gambling sites lack consumer protections: fair games are not guaranteed, and players have no recourse if an online casino refuses to pay out. The Kansas Attorney General and Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission have periodically reminded the public that such online casinos are not authorized and that players gamble at their own risk.
Will Kansas Legalize Online Casinos?
It appears unlikely that Kansas will legalize online casinos anytime soon. The legislature hasn’t seriously considered bills to legalize online casinos in recent years, and there is no indication that lawmakers have an appetite to change that.
Additionally, the state government is heavily invested in protecting the revenue generated by its state-owned, privately managed land-based casinos. Numerous lawmakers believe that legalizing online casinos would introduce direct competition to these established revenue sources, making legalization an unattractive proposition.
Sweepstakes Casinos in Kansas
Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area in Kansas.
State law does not explicitly address online sweepstakes casinos, and local authorities have not issued cease-and-desist letters to operators. As a result, all prominent sweepstakes casinos are available in Kansas.
Some of the most well-known Kansas sweepstakes casinos include:
How Sweepstakes Casinos Operate Legally in Kansas
Reputable sweepstakes casinos closely resemble online gambling but operate on a “no purchase necessary” model to avoid classification as online gambling in Kansas.
In fact, sweepstakes casinos have a stronger legal basis in Kansas than in most states due to the specific definition of “consideration” in KS Stat § 21-6403(c). The statute states that “mere registration without purchase of goods or services” does not constitute consideration, which is necessary for an activity to be classified as gambling under state law.
Even more importantly, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission has not targeted sweepstakes casinos or taken a public stance against them.
What Players Should Know
Sweepstakes casinos are a convenient alternative to full-scale online gambling in Kansas. They offer games that look and feel like playing online slots and table games but use business models that keep it all compliant with Kansas law.
However, sweepstakes casinos lack the oversight and guarantees that state-regulated gambling sites would have.
Players should use reputable, well-known sweepstakes casinos with transparent prize redemption processes and responsible gambling tools. Fortunately, the most prominent sweepstakes casinos in Kansas have established track records in the US with millions of users.
One other thing players should remember is that the regulatory landscape is subject to change at any time. Few states have laws explicitly addressing sweepstakes casinos, but numerous gaming commissions have successfully forced sweepstakes casinos out via targeted enforcement actions.
Just because Kansas hasn’t targeted sweepstakes casinos to date, it doesn’t mean that the status quo will remain indefinitely. After all, the state has a direct financial incentive to protect the revenue its land-based casinos generate.
Kansas Online Poker
Online poker is illegal in Kansas.
State law does not differentiate between real-money online poker and casino-style games like slots and blackjack. As such, online poker falls under the same broad prohibitions against unauthorized gambling under Kansas law.
Similarly, participating in online poker games is a class B misdemeanor for players. While there are no known instances of an individual being prosecuted for playing on an offshore poker site, the law is clear on that matter.
Sweepstakes poker sites remain an easily accessible alternative in Kansas and operate on a similar business model as their casino counterparts.
Will Kansas Legalize Online Poker?
Kansas is unlikely to legalize online poker in the near term.
Any debate over whether poker is a game of skill versus a game of chance is effectively moot due to legal precedent. In the Three Kings Holdings case, the Kansas Court of Appeals affirmed a lower decision that even variants of Texas Hold’em specifically designed to emphasize the skill aspect meet the state’s legal definition of “gambling.”
The ruling eliminated any possibility of Kansas authorizing online poker through a “skill game” exemption. Any effort to legalize online poker in Kansas would require a full-fledged legislative effort, but that’s also a long shot.
The legislature once considered a bill to outlaw all online gambling, but it has never introduced a bill to authorize it. The combination of a small state population, which limits revenue even if Kansas joins the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, and the definitive legal precedent classifying poker as a game has resulted in zero legislative momentum for legalization.
Kansas Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and regulated in Kansas.
The Kansas legislature legalized online sportsbooks in 2022 via SB 84. The law authorized retail sportsbooks at casinos and online sports betting statewide.
Kansas established a competitive market designed to encourage participation from the nation’s major online sportsbook brands. Today, all prominent sportsbook operators are active in Kansas, including:
- Bet365 Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- ESPN Bet
- DraftKings Sportsbook
Here’s what fans need to know about online sports betting in Kansas:
- Minimum age: 21
- College betting restrictions: No special restrictions; college betting is permitted, and customers may bet on in-state teams like the Kansas Jayhawks and the Kansas State Wildcats.
- Funding methods: Customers may fund their KS sports betting accounts via debit cards, credit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and other standard deposit methods (options vary by operator)
Kansas Daily Fantasy Sports
Fantasy sports apps are legal but unregulated in Kansas.
State law specifically exempts fantasy contests from the legal definition of unlawful betting, and fantasy operators are not obligated to apply for a license or pay any special taxes.
As a result, the major DFS sites all accept Kansas customers.
How Kansas Legalized Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports operated in a legal grey area under Kansas law until 2015. During the pre-2015 years, there was significant confusion over whether fantasy sports contests fell under the state’s definition of gambling or if they could be considered games of skill and therefore fully legal.
Major DFS sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings operated openly in Kansas during this time despite the legal ambiguity. At one point, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission opined that daily fantasy sports constitute illegal gambling, but the opinion held no legal weight and DFS operators ignored the finding.
The situation was finally resolved in 2015 when the Kansas Legislature passed HB 2155, dealing primarily with charity gaming and bingo. However, the bill also included a provision excluding daily fantasy sports contests from the state’s definition of an illegal bet.
Unlike many other states, Kansas does not regulate or license daily fantasy providers. Kansas law simply considers fantasy contests not to be gambling and therefore legal. This means there are no consumer regulations in place, but the major fantasy sites that serve Kansas are highly regulated in numerous other states and are generally safe places to play.
Fantasy Pick’em Contests in Kansas
Fantasy pick’em contests are legal but unregulated in Kansas.
The legality of fantasy pick’em apps in Kansas became a subject of significant debate and regulatory action in 2023. In late 2023, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) issued cease-and-desist letters to six fantasy pick’em apps, stating that their player-vs-house contests constituted illegal sports betting.
In response, several operators developed peer-to-peer variants that better distinguish themselves from “against the house “ sports betting. The peer-to-peer variants still involve making “more” or “less” predictions on athletes’ stats, but players compete against one another in tournament-style contests for payouts.
The KRGC has indicated that peer-to-peer fantasy pick’em contests are compliant with Kansas law. Fantasy pick’em apps like PrizePicks and ParlayPlay have since returned to the Kansas market.
Kansas Online Lottery Sales
Online lottery sales are legal in Kansas.
The Kansas Lottery authorized online sales in 2024 and launched its iLottery platform the following year.
Players can download the official Kansas PlayOn app or visit PlayOnKansas.com to buy tickets to multi-state draw games like Powerball and Mega Millions, participate in state-specific drawings, and play eInstants (digital instant win games).
Players must be 18+ and physically located within Kansas to buy lottery tickets online. The Kansas Lottery also conducts identity and age verification checks during registration to comply with federal Know Your Customer (KYC) laws.
Online Horse Racing Betting in Kansas
Online horse racing betting is legal but unregulated in Kansas.
The Kansas Parimutuel Racing Act permits horse racing betting but does not explicitly authorize or prohibit advance deposit wagering apps (ADWs).
Despite the lack of clear-cut statutes either way, major national ADWs like TwinSpires and AmWager accept customers from Kansas.
To bet on horse races online in Kansas, customers must be:
- Kansas residents
- 18 or older
- Physically located in Kansas
Read more:
Kansas Gambling Regulators
Multiple agencies and commissions oversee different facets of gambling in Kansas to promote safety, integrity, fairness, and responsible play:
- Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC): The KRGC is Kansas’ primary gambling regulator. Its responsibilities include ensuring the integrity of all casino gambling, sports betting, and pari-mutuel wagering. The KRGC conducts background checks, issues licenses, adopts regulations, audits licensed operators, and investigates illegal gambling activities.
- Kansas Lottery Commission: The Kansas Lottery operates lottery games, owns commercial casinos on behalf of the state, and oversees the conduct of sports betting.
- Kansas State Gaming Agency (KSGA): The KSGA is a separate and distinct agency from the KRGC. The KSGA’s sole responsibility is to enforce state-tribal gaming compacts and the Tribal Gaming Oversight Act.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Kansas
Kansas maintains a network of state-funded problem gambling resources. Under state law, 2% of all gaming revenue funds the state’s problem gambling initiatives to ensure treatment is available at no cost to problem gamblers and their loved ones.
Self-Exclusion Resources
Kansas operates several self-exclusion programs, but they are not unified into a singular statewide list. Therefore, individuals must enroll in multiple programs to ensure comprehensive coverage.
- KRGC Casino Self-Exclusion Program: The KRGC’s self-exclusion program allows individuals to ban themselves from all state-owned commercial casinos for periods of two years or a lifetime.
- KRGC Sports Wagering Self-Exclusion Program: When individuals enroll in the sports wagering self-exclusion program, their existing accounts are banned, and they are prohibited from creating new accounts. Individuals can select self-exclusion periods of two years, five years, a lifetime, or request a custom length.
- Kansas iLottery Self-Exclusion: Kansas iLottery players can self-exclude from online lottery purchases for periods ranging from six months to a lifetime from within their accounts on the app or website.
- Tribal Self-Exclusion: The KRGC self-exclusion program does not apply to tribal casinos. Individuals who wish to self-exclude from tribal casinos must contact each facility directly for information.
Responsible Gambling Organizations
- Kansas Problem Gambling Hotline: Problem gamblers, their loved ones, and anyone with questions about problem gambling can call for immediate, confidential help 24/7. The problem gambling hotline can also provide resources for no-cost treatment providers.
Phone: 1-800-522-4700 - Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling (KCPG): The KCPG operates the problem gambling helpline and serves as a central resource for information, public information, awareness, and referrals to state-funded treatment programs.
- Kansas Problem Gambling Task Forces: Kansas has regional task forces comprised of treatment providers, community leaders, and recovering gamblers: South Central Task Force; Southwest Task Force; Southeast Task Force; Northeast Task Force (see KDADS for contact info)
- Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS): The state agency that manages and funds Kansas’s problem gambling treatment and prevention programs.
- National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): National organization that provides 24/7 support and information about problem gambling resources in Kansas. Call 1-800-GAMBLER; Text 800GAM; or chat online.