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Senator Addabbo Presents Bill S8412 to Legalize iGaming in New York State
Kansas Lawmakers Start Sports Betting Discussion
December 3, 2018 Jim Murphy
Kansas lawmakers will start the discussion about sports wagering legalization this week. This state, just like many others, will try to do everything to bring sports betting to its people…
…and capitalize on the US Supreme Court ruling in spring this year to lift a ban and allow placing bets on sports
Currently, seven states have regulated sports wagering and eight more anticipated to do so before the start of the NFL season in the year. In Kansas, the growth in interest was marked after New Jersey managed to reach the end of the process and become the first state after Nevada to make this type of gambling available.
Current Affairs
One of the ers of this idea is Democratic Governor-elect, Laura Kelly. She was advocating the legalization of sports betting during her campaign in the state which already allows commercial casino gaming.
Senator Bud Estes, a Dodge City Republican has been appointed to be the chairman of the committee which will handle bills regarding this matter.
“I don’t want to skate on thin ice on something we don’t know anything about,” he said. However, he added that it was just a matter of time before betting on sports was to be legalized in one form or the other.
A special interim committee session will take place in Topeka on Tuesday and Wednesday and the senator encouraged everyone to show up and discuss the issue. The next session starts on January 14th and no legislation has been drafted.
Major Points
Before sports betting is legalized in Kansas there are some key points that need to be agreed upon.
First of all, the lawmakers must ensure the proper tax rate. In case it is too high, the betters will turn to illegal wagering, which is an issues across America! Secondly, in order to prevent cheating in games and any kind of fraud a new regulatory body will most likely be introduced.
Thirdly, it is essential to determine where and how bets can be cast. Some states will offer sports betting in casinos only, while the others will permit it in sports bars as well. Last but not least…
…mobile gaming and apps are a crucial part of the entire regulation process and that needs to be considered as well
These are all major matters to take into as sports gambling is expected to generate major revenue in the decade. Kansas will most likely play its role, but the exact date when it will be legalized is not known.
Not Coming Soon
“If we start ing legislation for interest groups, we could make a real mess,” Estes said. “We need to be educated. I’m not going to let my committee go out and a lot of legislation right out of the bag. We need to be smarter before we do it.”
Optimists In the Mix
There have already been some attempts to commence with the process. The last legislative session saw Republican Representative Jan Kessinger to launch a bill that received a hearing but it failed to gain traction. Meanwhile, budget officials estimated…
…that legalization of sports betting in Kansas would have generated approximately $75 million annually!
Kessinger is aware that the process is not a walk in the park and that it takes time for the puzzle to be completed. Furthermore, he pointed out that the money gained from betting revenue could help fix some issues in the state, such as the pension system, highways and foster cases, while one part of the money could be used for problem gambling.
“It will generate more excitement and interest in sports, which I think will drive more traffic into these social settings,” he explained and went on to say that additional taxes can be collected from foods and drinks sold as people have fun. “There are a lot of different opportunities there.”
On a similar note, Washington DC has just made some moves regarding sports wagering. The capital city ing the bandwagon can motive states such as Kansas to accelerate the process.
Source:
“Kansas lawmakers to start talking about sports betting”, Heather Hollingsworth, sanluisobispo.com, December 2, 2018.
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There’s not much to get educated on. Just make it legal and people illegal bets will no longer be interesting to people. They shouldn’t wait for too long.