Kansas lawmakers expand gaming compact to include sports betting at Prairie Band Casino & Resort

The Kansas Senate and House have approved a resolution that is set to allow a tribal casino in northeast Kansas to offer sports betting. On Friday, the Senate voted 27-8 in favor of SR 1725, which would amend the gaming compact with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to include sports wagering.

The House also approved its own version of the resolution, HR 6026, with a vote of 93-27 to finalize the Legislature's approval of the agreement. The move puts Prairie Band Casino & Resort on track to offer sports betting by the end of this summer. 

The new compact would allow Prairie Band Casino to offer sports wagering on-site or through partnerships with apps. However, people using the apps would only be allowed to bet on the tribe’s reservation, reports FOX 4.

A joint committee voted unanimously to approve the compact amendments in a meeting Thursday. According to the resolution, the Secretary of the Senate will send an enrolled copy to the governor, the secretary of state, and the chairperson of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

Zach Pahmahmie, Tribal Counsel Vice Chair

"Our original gaming compacts did not permit the nation, or all four tribes in the state of Kansas were prohibited in actually taking part in sports wagering, so the very fundamental step moving forward was to change the language in the original compact to permit that," said Zach Pahmahmie, Tribal Counsel Vice Chair, as reported by cited media.