Kansas Regulatory Worry about Betting Ahead of NFL Season

As the new NFL season approaches, and sports bettors are likely to be spending more money and more time betting on the outcome of the games, Kansas regulators have reportedly raised concerns over excessive betting.

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission is now in the fits of an NFL season preparation with the regulator looking to remind players about the potential dangers of excessive gambling. An estimated 55% of gamblers interviewed by Optimove, a data firm, have said that they will be betting more than $50 per single wager, across multiple wagers.

NFL Momentum Builds Up and So Does RG Awareness

As the popularity of online gambling has increased steadily in Kansas and elsewhere, the regulator is concerned with properly regulating the activity and urges caution and awareness among players and how they can avoid the pitfalls associated with the activity, such as excessive spending or developing an unhealthy habit with gambling.

The Commission’s Government Relations Manager, Randy Evans, was among the people to speak out about the importance of developing a healthy relationship with the activity, and warned against problematic behaviors, explaining that there is a need to address the issue head-on.

Commenting on the media publication WIBW, Evans highlighted the prevalence of gambling, specifically online gambling which made it incredibly easy for people to access the product and seek it out. There is no longer the need to physically drive somewhere when everything is available at a single tap.

Evans similarly urged people who recognize that they may be developing a problem to first enter the voluntary self-exclusion program, reminding people that they had various options to pick from, from 90 days to a lifetime.

The commissioner similarly reminded people that the self-exclusion program works universally, meaning that once you self-exclude using the state program, the suspension from gambling applies to any regulated operator across the state.

With Kansas legalizing sports betting in 2022, the state has been enjoying a steadfast interest in sports wagering. The upcoming NFL is likely to bring the state’s best year in terms of tax windfall to date as well.

Players Who Have a Problem Should Seek Help

Evans similarly noted that people ought to ensure that they understand when they begin to experience problems gambling. “If you’re borrowing money to gamble, if you think that you’re trying to win to pay bills, and if you start to not do things that you enjoy doing,” Evans tells Kansas residents ahead of the big betting event.

Residents are also encouraged to seek out the Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling or call 1-800-gambler if they suspect they may have or are developing a problem.