Sports betting looks like it will be legalized before this legislative session is over.
Lawmakers in both the Kansas House and Senate voted to approve Senate Bill 84 early Friday and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is expected to sign it into law.
The bill lets residents across Kansas use cellphone or computer apps to bet on games or place bets, either at state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations across the state as chosen by the casinos. There would be a 10-percent state tax per bet.
The vast majority of proceeds, expected to be around $5 million, will go to a fund designed to bring professional sports to Kansas, including the Kansas City Chiefs, which have been at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri since 1972 and have mentioned the possibility of a new stadium.
In the Senate, 17th District Senator Jeff Longbine of Emporia voted for the bill. In the House, 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber was for the bill while 51st District Representative Ron Highland of Wamego and 76th District Representative Eric Smith of Burlington voted against it.
