State Legalizes Sports Bets, Immediately Gets Sued

Kansas has legalized sports betting, but was sued by the operator of a state-owned casino almost immediately after the bill was signed.

State officials and others weren’t sure ahead of the bill being signed into law when sports fans actually would be able to start making their bets.

The new law will allow people in the state to use cellphone or computer apps to bet on sporting events, and to place bets at each of four state-owned casinos or up to 50 other locations chosen by each casino.

The lawsuit was filed was filed by the Kansas Star Casino.

The casino argues that the state is breaching its contract, which says the lottery will not permit competition from similar facilities in the Wichita area.

The dispute is over a provision allowing new gambling devices at Wichita Greyhound Park.

Twenty-nine states have authorized commercial sports betting, while another six allow Native American tribes to provide it.