Bally’s Corporation is expanding its US sports betting portfolio with the impending launch of a mobile sports betting app in Kansas. The arrangement involves a multi-year deal with the Boot Hill Casino in Kansas City though, through the vagaries of Kansas sports betting laws, the company will not actually own the sportsbook it’s ostensibly operating.
Sports betting, it should be noted, is not yet legal in Kansas. State lawmakers are still putting the finishing touches on Senate Bill 84, which should make regulated wagering a reality by 2022. But under the terms of the new law, all Kansas sportsbooks will be owned by the Kansas Lottery, and not by private operators. Operators like Bally’s will work through existing, land-based casinos, to lease their products to the state.
In a statement reported on by Barron’s, George Papanier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bally’s Corporation praised the deal saying, “We are extremely excited to work with Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Kansas. This relationship, which marks the 14th state in which customers can access our omnichannel platform, provides a significant opportunity for Bally’s to enter into yet another attractive mobile sports betting market. With the approval of pending sports betting legislation in the state, we can’t wait for Kansas sports fans to engage in our best-in-class online sports betting offerings.”
Clark Stewart, chief executive of Boot Hill was similarly enthusiastic saying, “Bally’s has demonstrated impressive growth and has an outstanding operating track record. We are confident that bringing Bally’s diverse and interactive suite of online sports betting solutions to the Boot Hill Casino will significantly enhance the gaming experience for Kansas sports fans.”
Once the Kansas market opens, Bally’s will be officially operating sportsbooks in 14 US states.