Kansas lawmakers give final approval to sports betting plan

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators gave last approval early Friday to a invoice that authorizes betting on sporting occasions, with a lot of the state’s revenues from it going to efforts to lure the Missouri-based Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to the Kansas aspect of the metropolitan space.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 21-13, with six GOP senators abstaining, to approve the sports activities betting invoice. The Republican-controlled Home handed the measure Thursday, 73-49, so it goes subsequent to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who is anticipated to signal it.

The measure would enable folks within the state to make use of cellphone or laptop apps to guess on sporting occasions and to put bets at state-owned casinos or as much as 50 different areas chosen by every of the 4 casinos. The state would impose a ten% tax on every guess.

The invoice says that 80% of the revenues — maybe $5 million a 12 months — would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to return to Kansas.

The groups might embrace skilled baseball’s Kansas Metropolis Royals or professional basketball or hockey groups. Nevertheless, most supporters contemplated attempting to lure the Chiefs to the Legends, a procuring and leisure district in Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, that’s already house to a NASCAR observe, skilled soccer’s Sporting KC, and a state-owned on line casino.

Kansas state Reps. Invoice Clifford, left, R-Backyard Metropolis, and Brad Ralph, proper, R-Dodge Metropolis, confer throughout a Home debate on a invoice authorizing sports activities betting, Thursday, April 28, 2022, on the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Each lawmakers supported the invoice, which has handed.

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