By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — The first legal sports wager in Kansas is in the books. Last Thursday, the same day the state legalized sports betting, Governor Laura Kelly put $15 on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl on a bet made at Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.

Thursday’s event at noon was just a soft opening for legalized sports betting, which will go full tilt on Sept. 8. With the passage of Senate Bill 84, all state-operated casinos in Kansas will be able to offer in-person and mobile sports betting.

Per the bill, the first $750,000 generated from wagering must be transferred from the Kansas Lottery to the White Collar Crime Fund. Eighty percent of the remaining money must be transferred to the Attracting Professional Sports to Kansas Fund. The 10 percent tax on sports betting in Kansas is minimal compared to other states that charge between 15 and 51 percent, but is still expected to generate $1.8 million next year and $6 million in 2024.

But with gambling sometimes comes addiction. As of July 1, 2023, two percent of remaining tax dollars raised from betting must be transferred to the Problem Gambling and Addictions Grant Fund to help offset some expected treatment costs.

“It seems pretty wide open that you can bet on not just the game outcome but whether somebody is wearing red socks or white socks that day,” said Dr. Patrick Stang, psychiatrist with the Center for Counseling in Great Bend. “You can bet on all kinds of aspects of it. It’s so available and they’re pushing it pretty hard. You see ads on TV every five minutes about how great this is going to be.”

Stang said treating gambling addiction can be tough as those who seek treatment often present with other issues.

“I think it’s not always at the top of your list to ask about because people usually don’t come in for that,” he said. “A lot of times they come in for depression or anxiety or something else. They don’t always mention their gambling problem until maybe you get to know them better.”