While people celebrated on Mass Street in Lawrence, Kansas, Monday night, more than two dozen states were cashing in on more revenue from sports betting.

Kansas and Missouri weren’t among them.

Inside the 610 Sports Studios, Cody and Gold had a lot to talk about on the Midday show.

"Yeah, it's an exciting day, no question about that,” host Alex Gold said.

Host and sports gambling insider Alex Gold has also been closely watching bills in Topeka and Jefferson City this year. Gold says Kansas has likely lost out on millions during KU's March Madness run.

"Yeah, so some of the estimates, potentially in tax revenue, could be $10 million if there was an opportunity for the entire year to actually bet in the state of Kansas," Gold said.

The Kansas House did pass a bill last week legalizing sports betting. The Missouri House passed also passed a similar bill last month.

“We just don't want to be left behind,” Missouri state Rep. Dan Houx said.
Houx, the bill’s sponsor, spoke with KMBC last week. He says the Show-Me-State is also losing millions a year.

"Right now, we're at zero, so anything is again. We're not getting any of the tax revenue from people going out of state betting," Houx said.

It's clear there is some border war rivalry in play. Lawmakers in Topeka and Jefferson City don't want their states to be left behind.

"There's definitely been some more pressure on both to get it done, knowing the advantage one state might have over the other," Houx said.

As far as where those bills are right now, the Kansas Senate will take up that measure when they return from a week-long spring break. The Missouri Senate will hold its first hearing on that bill tomorrow morning in Jefferson City.

Those watching bills in both states tell KMBC they expect Missouri and Kansas to legalize sports gambling this year.

In Kansas City, fans could potentially be placing legal bets locally on the chiefs by week one of the NFL season.

https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-missouri-ncaa-sportsbetting/39642619#