Sports betting finally arrives at Prairie Band Casino & Resort, located in Mayetta, Kansas! After the federal government approves the sports wagering amendment to the Class III gaming compact the tribe already has with the Kansas government, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation will be able to offer the sports betting services, along with other types of betting it already has the right to offer.
Good news for the tribe:
The amendment is approved in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which regulates the tribal gambling industry in the country.
The tribe wanted to be able to offer sports betting services this year, and after the government’s approval, it will be possible, so it’s expected that the visitors will be able to place their bets by the end of the year.
The discussion between the Kansas Capitol Bureau and Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, a Tribal Council Chairman, held on Monday, was fruitful. They agreed that the tribal casinos should have the same options as the state ones.
Rupnick commented: “To be honest with you… it was a quite cumbersome process…and I didn’t really think it was going to get it done this year, but thanks to the governor’s staff, their leadership, along with the leadership of the elected members of the House and Senate, we were able to get this done…”
Sports betting launch in a few months:
After the legalization of sports betting in the state in September 2022, the negotiations between the tribe and government began and lasted until April 2023, when the compact was finally approved. The tribe awaited a final stamp of approval for three months more, but it seems everything is over now.
The casino officials are planning to launch the sports betting services in the fourth quarter of 2023. The fourth quarter is the last one when it comes to the financial year, and it usually begins on October 1st. However, the date isn’t definite since the tribe hopes it will happen even earlier, so the wagerers have all the right to hope that sports betting will be launched in September.
The Prairie Band’s customers will be able to place bets on-site for now, but it might be possible to develop its own sports betting app and invest in online betting.
For now, the tribe will be allowed to offer sports betting services only on its reservation, while other casinos will have to aim for approval and negotiate the compacts they have one more time.