Kansas lawmakers give final approval to sports betting plan

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas legislators gave final approval early Friday to a bill that authorizes betting on sporting events, with most of the state’s revenues from it going to efforts to lure the Missouri-based Kansas City Chiefs to the Kansas side of the metropolitan area.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted 21-13, with six GOP senators abstaining, to approve the sports betting bill. The Republican-controlled House passed the measure Thursday, 73-49, so it goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who is expected to sign it.

The measure would allow people in the state to use cellphone or computer apps to bet on sporting events and to place bets at state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations chosen by each of the four casinos. The state would impose a 10% tax on each bet.

The bill says that 80% of the revenues — perhaps $5 million a year — would go into a fund to provide incentives for professional sports teams to come to Kansas.

The teams could include professional baseball’s Kansas City Royals or pro basketball or hockey teams. However, most supporters contemplated trying to lure the Chiefs to the Legends, a shopping and entertainment district in Kansas City, Kansas, that’s already home to a NASCAR track, professional soccer’s Sporting KC, and a state-owned casino.