Illegal gambling is a growing concern across the United States. While this applies to the online counterpart of the activity, illegal or unlicensed slots, bookmakers and poker rooms continue to rake money without paying taxes or complying with gambling regulations, if such even exist where they operate. Now, a gas station in Park City, Kansas, may be in hot water after a search uncovered illegal gambling machines.

As announced by KAKE, on Wednesday this week, the Park City Police Department along with representatives of the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, the gambling regulator in the state, executed a search warrant at a gas station in Park City near I-135. Police officers and Commission representatives entered the premises, uncovering 13 illegal gaming devices. The illegal machines were consequently seized.

The latest raid marks another one for law enforcement and the regulator as they continue to battle illegal gambling establishments across Kansas. Customers who use the services of illegal gambling operators put their money at risk. This is because illegal operators are not obligated to comply with the established regulations. In other words, such illegal machines can altered to ensure that users lose far more when compared to playing at licensed casinos.

Illegal Gambling Increases Other Criminal Activities

Despite the efforts of the gambling regulator in Kansas and law enforcement, illegal establishments continue to offer their services. According to Kristopher Gupilan, an officer with the Wichita Police Department, the newly seized illegal machines further increase the number of confiscated devices. He revealed that for a decade, law enforcement seized more than 1,500 such machines and that number continues to grow.

What’s more worrying, Gupilan said, is that illegal gambling serves as a breeding ground for further crimes. “Violent crimes, thefts, all sorts of other crimes can stem from illegal gambling machines,” he warned. Gupilan encouraged anyone who suspects illegal casinos across Kansas to immediately report it by contacting Crime Stoppers. He said that such reports are anonymous.

Besides fueling other criminal activities, illegal gambling machines pose a risk for the players, according to the gambling regulator. The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission confirmed that such devices may be rigged, allowing vendors to select any odds they would like. Unlike illegal gambling devices, licensed casino operators are required to set minimum odds for their slot machines. The Commission reminded that currently, tribal casino operators’ slots pay at 80%, while commercial gambling slots’ RTP is 87%.

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Kansas is one of the latest states to launch legal sports betting, expanding the industry’s presence across the United States. A year later, the Sunflower State’s wagering industry continues to grow, as shown by the increased interest in the vertical.

The continued growth of sports betting resulted in a monthly handle of $219.3 million in September. This figure is notably 36.6% higher than the one recorded during the sports betting market’s opening month, September 2022. For reference, that month saw the state’s sportsbooks collect $160.5 million in bets.

September’s results also signify the recovery of the local market, following the subpar August results. In August, Kansas’ sports betting operators recorded a handle of $94.4 million, 132.3% lower than September 2023’s results.

This rebound is to be expected, of course, considering the return of the NFL and the multiple new wagering opportunities awaiting players.

Kansas Exceeded Its Previous Record

The record-breaking September 2023 results also exceeded the ones recorded in March this year when the state’s sports punters wagered a total of $206.3 million.

September’s handle of $219.3 million translated into revenue of $8.1 million, far exceeding the results recorded in August 2023 and September 2022 when the industry recorded revenues of $1.3 million and $4.8 million, respectively.

Taking a closer look at the September 2023 figures makes it clear that betting online continues to be Kansans’ preferred way to wager. For reference, an overwhelming $201.1 million of the total bets were placed online. Only $18.2 million of the total wagers were placed with traditional sportsbooks.

Reflecting the Kansans sports betting enthusiasts’ preference for online wagering, the online vertical accounted for $7.6 million of the monthly revenue in the state. Retail sportsbooks, meanwhile, reported revenue of $459,336.

DraftKings continues to be the preferred online sportsbook of local bettors. The American sports betting giant and its local partner, Boot Hill Casino, accounted for $97.2 million of the handle and $3.3 million of the revenue. FanDuel and BetMGM followed next with revenues of $3 million and $814,000 respectively.

Earlier this month, Matt Schwartz, Kansas Lottery’s finance director, said that the industry has so far seen Kansan bettors wager $1.85 billion, contributing $7 million to state revenue.

June, on the other hand, was a record-low month for the Sunflower State, because of a variety of setbacks.

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Casino and hospitality leader Bally’s Corporation has confirmed the opening of the now-expanded Bally’s Kansas City property. The venue now features a 35,000-square-foot gaming and retail area that will provide guests with exciting experiences.

The entire casino floor has been reimaged with tons of new gaming products getting added, Bally’s said. Customers can expect to find 200 new games and a dedicated high-limit slot area. The property boasts a second floor that seeks to provide visitors with a more relaxed and comfortable gaming experience.

In addition to the improved gaming area, Bally’s Kansas City is now home to Chickie’s & Pete’s Crabhouse and Sports Bar where guests can refresh themselves. There is enough space to incorporate additional restaurants and shops in the future.

The casino has also undergone what Bally’s described as an “extensive aesthetic renovation.” Sporting a refreshed interior and exterior, the casino now boasts state-of-the-art lighting elements, greatly improving the atmosphere. The façade is illuminated by a series of steel frames and fabric panels, giving the property a fresh and modern look.

The casino has multiple entrances, allowing guests to park and step into the casino right after.

Bally’s Corporation has been working hard on upgrading the venue since acquiring it in 2020. One of the highlights of the property is the Asian-themed 1800 Baccarat Lounge which offers Asian food and eight baccarat gaming tables. The property also has a Celebrity Casino & Lounge on the second floor where players can find 30 slot machines, a blackjack table, a baccarat table and a selection of dining options.

The Ribbon Was Cut at an Official Ceremony

The recent expansion of the Kansas City casino is notably Bally’s most significant investment in the property yet.

The ribbon of the renewed Bally’s Kansas City venue was cut during an official ceremony at the Commercial Center Entrance to Bally’s KC. The occasion was attended by multiple notable guests, including Bally’s president George Papanier and Chickie’s and Pete’s founder Pete Ciarrocchi, among many others.

Michael Donovan, Bally’s regional vice president and general manager for the Midwest, commented on the matter. He said that his team is very excited about the opening of the renewed property and is looking forward to welcoming and engaging guests.

Donovan thanked everyone who made this expansion possible: “We are grateful for the collaborative work of the city and the hundreds of union members who played a critical role in bringing this expansion to reality over the past two years.”

In other news, Bally’s just donated $5 million to the CCRI Foundation.

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Kansas launched its legal online and retail betting market in September last year. While the market has seen ups and downs, closer to the summer there are fewer sports events which resulted in a decrease in the betting handle, judging by unaudited figures released by the agency in charge of monitoring the activity, the Kansas Lottery.

The overall betting handle reported by retail and online betting operators last month was $120,323,444. This result marked a decrease of nearly 10% or more than $12 million, when compared to the result reported just a month earlier, in April, when the betting handle was $132,981,289.

A breakdown of the $120.3 million in betting handle reveals that online betting activities were responsible for the lion’s share. This comes as no surprise and is usually what happens in states where retail and mobile betting activities are offered. Judging by the preliminary figures from the Kansas Lottery, online betting operators hit $115.6 million in betting handle, while the retail sector reported a total of $4.7 million.

Not unexpectedly, comparing the online and retail betting handle to the previous month, April, shows a decrease. Overall, the online betting handle in April was $126.3 million, while the retail betting handle hit $6.7 million, revealing that in May, a decrease of approximately $10 million and $2 million was observed respectively.

Despite Betting Handle Dip, Revenues and Taxes Remain Strong

While the total betting handle fell in May when compared to April, the operators’ revenue and tax revenue for the state did not see a significant decrease. Overall, the $120.3 million in betting handle translated to $8.9 million in proceeds for the betting operators, while the state’s share was $887,390. Comparison to the results in April shows a slight decrease, considering that back then, the operators’ revenues hit $9.2 million, while the state share was $919,720.

A further breakdown shows that the revenue share of online betting operators was $8.7 million last month, while retail operators saw only $130,047 in revenue. This resulted in a state share of $874,385 and $13,005 respectively.

Judging by the Kansas Lottery’s recent report, DraftKings was an unquestionable leader within the online betting market in May. Overall, the operator reported $48 million in betting handle, resulting in $4.3 million in revenue. Comparing the results to April, a slight decrease is observed considering that DraftKings’ betting handle at the time was $53 million.

Not far behind was FanDuel, which reported $35.3 million in betting handle last month. This resulted in some $3.5 million in revenue. Similarly to DraftKings, FanDuel’s betting handle in April was higher than in May, given that it hit $40 million.

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The group, Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) has become the latest to voice its concerns about smoking on gaming floors and the impact this has on casino staff’s health. Therefore, CEASE insists that the state issues an end to the mandate that allows casinos to be excluded from a public smoke ban.

The organizaiton sees this as an unjust loophole that needs to be taken care of and has urged lawmakers to act. CEASE founder Joe Hafley said that all workers ask for is a clean and safe working environment for the thousands of workers employed in the industry and who are the very backbone of the activity.

Hafley himself is a casino security officer and he speaks from experience and in part in solidarity with fellow casino workers. Even though he himself doesn’t have to be at the actual tables where most of the smoking is done, he worries about secondhand smoke and says that avoiding getting tinted with the smell of cigarettes is impossible.

CEASE has also been successful in winning some legislative support to its end, with lawmakers beginning to show interest. At the same time, there has been mounting evidence that there is little to suggest that denying people the right to smoke directly at tables would actually contribute to the financial slowdown of a casino.

End Smoking Is Not the End of Economic Prosperity

In fact, the opposite remains to be true or in many cases – the casino bottom line remains unchanged as a direct impact of smoking. A report by C3 Gaming report claimed that non-smoking properties outstrip their smoking counterparts economically. Even now there are people who avoid casinos because they don’t like the smoke, for example. CEASE co-founder Peter Naccarelli was also outspoken about the issue:

Casino workers all over the country are sick and tired of risking our health over the false perception that casinos will make more money by allowing the outdated practice of indoor smoking.

CEASE co-founder Peter Naccarelli

Naccarelli is adamant that workers shouldn’t endure what is a scientifically-proven risk cause of cancer. He argued that casino workers who work in environments where smoking isn’t banned were putting their lives on the line. There have been many comprehensive studies from across the nation with casino workers who work near smokers reporting an increased number of respiratory problems.

Some have even developed cancer, and although no one directly accuses the casinos, one cannot help but wonder, as some of the victims have put it. Previously, it was the Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights who weighed in on the matter.

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The passage of the legislation has been welcomed by Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights CEO and president Cynthia Hallett who said that should the prohibition go into effect, both visitors and employees would end up benefiting.

Kansas Lawmakers Rally Behind Casino Workers Who Want Smoking Out

There have been heated debates all over the country about whether prohibiting indoor smoke would undermine the financial feasibility of many casinos in places such as New Jersey. In the Garden State, for example, casinos have been reluctant to snuff out cigars and cigarettes as they fear that the loss of turnover would further depress bottom lines.

Opponents have argued that casinos have recovered since the pandemic, but casinos riposte that much of the revenue has to be shared with third-party providers, and the actual margins are smaller. Covering Kansas’ bill, Hallett said:

We applaud Kansas Senators from both parties for recognizing that casino workers and guests deserve protection from dangerous second-hand smoke. Casino workers in Kansas, like in a growing number of states across the country, have been urging their legislators to act to finally end indoor smoking.

Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights CEO and President Cynthia Hallett

Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects is not limited to just New Jersey, however. Pennsylvania and Rhode Island casino workers have also taken up the rallying cry and said that they would come to support a nationwide prohibition of smoking in indoor places. In the majority of public spaces that are closed off, smoking is prohibited.

Casinos are the notable if somewhat notorious exception with the logic going that a lot of patrons would simply quit turning up if they were to not smoke inside. This is a fairly good argument, but it is outweighed by the established track record of people who suffer from smoking.

Live casino dealers with cancer have been speaking up – some accusingly while others less so. The fact remains that no matter how they feel about customer smoking in their faces, almost everyone who works in this environment cannot help but wonder if their diseases could have been avoided.

The evidence that smoking is harmful in enclosed spaces is there. Why are then casinos getting a free pass? Kansas may soon find no good reasons and introduce a ban.

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