Legal Poker For Kansas Residents
Poker is a beloved pastime of gamblers across the country—and the great State of Kansas is no exception. The state may not be known as a gambler’s paradise on par with Nevada or New Jersey, and it’s true enough that there are some restrictions on legal gambling in Kansas. With that said, those who live in the state will make note of several legal Kansas gambling opportunities. These opportunities start in private homes and extend into the state’s numerous casinos. There are even a number of opportunities available for online gambling, and if they aren’t expressly condoned by the state, they are, at the very least, perfectly safe—but more on that later.
The bottom line is that Kansas offers myriad opportunities to poker enthusiasts, and making good use of those opportunities requires gamers to know the ins and outs of Kansas gambling laws. That’s what this page is all about. Designed as an educational resource for Kansas poker buffs, the page will first make some general observations about Kansas’ gambling regulations. From there, we will look, in greater detail, at the poker opportunities that Kansas gamers can find, both online and off.
Kansas Poker Laws & Statutes
Kansas is a state with legalized gambling—within certain parameters, of course. The state has four main Native American tribes, all of which have casinos in the state; there is a fifth casino, owned and operated by an Oklahoma tribe. Home games are acceptable, within reason, and online poker rooms abound.
Online poker is a prickly issue, and in Kansas, gamers have gotten some mixed signals. It is true, and must be said, that Kansas does not explicitly sanction online gambling. At the same time, as recently as 2013, there was a bill proposed that would have expressly banned online gambling, making it a misdemeanor. The bill failed—suggesting that, if Kansas is not a gamer’s haven on par with Vegas, it is certainly not going to make criminals out of the state’s passionate poker community!
Is it Legal to Play Online Poker in Kansas?
The next question to address is that of online gaming, and of online poker in particular. As we have noted, this is a slightly more complex topic than live, land-based gaming. Kansas does not expressly approve of online gambling, it is true, but neither does it expressly criminalize it—and in fact, all efforts to impost online gaming bans have come up short.
What all of this suggests is that the state’s view toward online poker is fairly lax. It also shows that, in Kansas, poker buffs can play on the Internet without worry and without fear of legal consequence. Those who play online poker in Kansas are not prosecuted or questioned by the law in any way.
Can I Get into Trouble for Playing Online Poker Kansas?
Still, some will want to address the question more directly: Will Kansas residents get into trouble for playing in online poker rooms? The short answer is no, they will not, for reasons we have already addressed. Even if online poker is not explicitly favored in Kansas laws, it is also not criminalized, and those who play will not be punished.
If anything, those who own and operate online poker sites would face legal consequences. That’s how most state gambling laws work. With that said, those who simply wish to participate in one of the many fine Kansas poker sites can do so and not have to give legal issues a second thought.
Legal Poker Sites That Accept Kansas Players
For a state as big as Kansas, there really are not many legal poker rooms open to serve Kansas residents. This can get most to thinking a hobby playing poker is just too inconvenient, far away, or time consuming to ever really enjoy. Fortunately, through legal poker websites like the best ones we’ve listed out below, Kansas residents can enjoy the hobby from anywhere in the world they can connect to the internet with no fear of legal persecution.
Bovada Poker - Most Trusted Online Poker Room For Kansas
For Kansas residents looking for quality, legal online poker rooms; the cream of the crop will always be Bovada. This great poker site for Kansas residents has not earned its pristine reputation easily, or overnight but rather through many, many years of dedicated service to their millions of clients in the United States alone. Kansas residents may rest assured that an account with Bovada is as safe an investment as possible, as this online poker room is almost as old as the internet itself. Money deposited here is just as safe as money put in online retail giants such as Amazon or eBay.
In order to ensure they really earn what business comes their way, Bovada poker pulls out all the stops to bring in new clients. When a new user signs up and deposits money in their account to use in the poker room for the first time, they will not only be able to use that money to play poker immediately, but they will be eligible to receive 100% of that deposit back in installments just so long as the account remains active in the poker room. Bovada quite literally pays its customers just for using its product. Prospective players won’t find an entry deal quite like this one anywhere else on the internet, so Kansas residents are advised to act fast.
BetOnline Poker - All Kansas Players 18+ Welcome Here
For the more discerning poker aficionado from Kansas, BetOnline can offer a very good home. In this legal online poker room, a user will find the most possible selections of tournaments and game styles. A player can “sit” at a virtual table and play anything ranging from an all-day, high entry fee no-limit hold ‘em game to just sitting in for a couple hands at a five card stud table for mere pennies or anything in between. Whether a user is logging in for fun or profit, they will certainly find that both are in ample supply at BetOnline poker.
However, there is a section of this legal poker site where only the most skilled and experienced poker players should tread. The highroller portion of this poker room is invite-only and the most skilled users typically pack these tables because of the high rewards. But just because BetOnline is one of the best places for the advanced player does not mean the novice cannot play. No matter their skill level, Kansas residents can always find a seat at BetOnline's lucrative tables, or even in the free section where there are always plenty of players practicing their craft for when it comes time to dive into the cash games, or any of the numerous tournaments that are run by this site each week.
| Legal Kansas Poker Sites | Welcome Bonus | What To Play | Site Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Poker Play / Sign Up | $1,000 FREE - 100% Match | Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo - Stud Hi/Lo |  |
| BetOnline Poker Play / Sign Up | Maximum $1K: 200% Rate | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| SportsBetting Play / Sign Up | 200% Match / $1,000 Max | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo | |
| 5Dimes Poker Play / Sign Up | Vary Weekly - Check Website | Texas Hold'em - Omaha Hi/Lo |  |
Does Kansas Have Legal Land-Based Poker?
After all of that, we might ask the question point-blank: Is it legal to play poker in Kansas? This is really two separate questions, of course—the question about land-based, live gaming first, then the question about online poker. As for land-based, live poker, the answer is yes, it is very much legal—in certain contexts. Obviously, playing poker in one of the several Kansas casinos is fine. Additionally, home games, so long as they do not turn into for-profit casino ventures, are also safe.
Legal Land-Based Poker Rooms For Kansas Players
The next question is that of where Kansas poker buffs can play—and thankfully, the options are many. We’ll start with the live, land-based poker options. As we have already noted, there are multiple Native American casinos in Kansas, and most of them offer table games, as well as video poker. These casinos have obvious appeal to Kansas poker buffs, but those who do not wish to drive all the way to a casino can always start a social game in their home.
The alternative, of course, is to seek chances to play in online poker rooms. Internet poker is, once more, a safe option for Kansas gamers, and it can be enjoyed without worries about legality. Thankfully for Kansas poker lovers, there are tons of online poker rooms out there, and all of them are more than willing to welcome Kansas players.
Future of Poker/Online Poker in Kansas
A final point of reflection: What does the future hold for Kansas poker laws? There’s no way to say for sure, of course, but it seems unlikely that any future ban on online gambling will ever pass. In fact, more and more states are moving toward the full legalization of online gambling, and that’s probably where Kansas will head, in due time.
Until that time comes, of course, Kansas gamers are hardly without options for playing poker. Online poker is not yet condoned by Kansas law, but neither is it criminalized; it is perfectly safe and recommendable. On top of that, the state offers its casinos and it leaves plenty of room for online poker. The bottom line is that Kansas is a gamer-friendly state, and opportunities to play poker abound.
