Not everywhere has the glamour of Vegas, but nowadays, many places have legal gambling. Often, states have a tribal casino or other state or privately owned gambling facility, or at least permit non-profits or religious organizations to run a licensed bingo. Kansas has both state-run casinos and four local tribes operating casinos within the state. Charities can also have a bingo night if they want. In addition, technically, the statutes permit both legal horse and dog racing; however, there are currently no licensed and operating racetracks.
To learn more, review the following chart on gambling laws in Kansas.
| Code Section | Kansas Statutes
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| Gambling | Kansas law defines gambling as making a bet, entering or remaining in a gambling place with the intent to bet, participate in a lottery or play a gambling device, and playing a gambling device. |
| Penalty | Illegal gambling is a class B non-person misdemeanor that can be penalized by not more than six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. |
| Horse Racing/Off-Track Betting | Although non-profit organizations previously could apply to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission for a license to construct or own a racetrack facility and conduct horse races, as of August 2008, all parimutuel license have been revoked. |
| Dog Racing/Off-Track Betting | As the horse racing above, since 2008, there’s been no dog racing in Kansas. Dogfighting is also illegal. |
| Casinos Allowed | In 2007, the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act was passed allowing the state of Kansas to own and operate four casinos with slot machines and racing. Commercial gambling is illegal except for the state owned facilities at Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, and Hollywood Casino in Kansas City and Native American gaming described below. |
| Tribal Gaming | Kansas has four federally recognized tribes, the Iowa, Kickapoo, Sac & Fox, and Prairie Band Potawatomi. All four operate casinos in Kansas with various legal gaming. The Prairie Band Casino is in Mayetta, the Sac & Fox Casino is in Powhattan, the Golden Eagle Casino is in Horton, and the Casino White Cloud is in White Cloud. The Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma also operate the 7th Street Casino in Kansas City. The first casino opened in 1996. |
| Other Permitted Gambling Activities | Other gaming-related activities that are lawful in Kansas include:
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| Other Banned Gambling Activities | Anything not explicitly permitted above is illegal, for example, cockfighting. |
Gambling laws and regulations can be quite complex, so if you have questions, you should speak to a Kansas gaming lawyer. If you do happen to win big, you should consult with a tax expert and estate planning lawyer to get your financial affairs in order.
Note: Kansas and other state laws are constantly changing, you should contact an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify these gambling laws.
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