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Can You Play Online Poker in Kansas in 2025?
Online poker enjoys some popularity in the Sunflower State. However, there are very limited choices of platforms to play online poker in Kansas for real money, mostly for legal reasons. Our team delved into the laws and history of gambling in the state to find out if you can play online poker here. We’ve also put together a list of the best poker sites for Kansas poker players that you can check out below.
Best online poker sites in Kansas
The state bans online poker sites, so there are no Kansas-based licensed platforms. However, players from the US are often allowed on offshore websites, which works for Kansas players. Here is the list of well-trusted platforms, selected based on feedback from many players and our review.
KS poker site | Bonuses | Rakeback |
---|---|---|
BetOnline Poker | 100% up to $1,000 | VIP |
ACR Poker | 100% up to $2,000 | 27% flat or up to 65% |
Ignition Poker | up to $3,000 | up to 20% |
CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 | 33%+ |
Phenom Poker | 150% up to $3,000 | 15-35% |
Benefits of our affiliate service:
- Top rakeback deals.
- Professional support for all inquiries seven days a week.
Reach our team to find out more information:
BetOnline Poker
For residents of Kansas, where online poker is not regulated at the state level, BetOnline provides an excellent opportunity to legally play for real money. The site is the flagship skin of Chico and has been operating on the market for over 20 years. Americans know it better as a bookmaker.
BetOnline Poker has many active tables in cash games (Texas Holdem, Omaha Poker, PLO5/6, Boost) with stakes up to $5/$10 in the evening hours. Particular attention should be paid to the 9-max tables - a format that is difficult to find in other rooms. The tournament list includes dozens of events every day, every month in MTT in BetOnline several million dollars are played out.
The first deposit bonus is 100% up to $1,000. Players from Kansas can get BetOnline Poker rakeback through a VIP deal from WPD and by taking part in regular rake races.
Deposits and withdrawals are easiest and fastest to make using cryptocurrencies. The poker room usually processes withdrawal requests within 24 hours.
CoinPoker
CoinPoker is the perfect choice for Kansas players who value privacy. The poker room does not require verification, works on the blockchain and accepts deposits in USDT and CHP. The RNG is completely decentralized, and players' funds are stored on external wallets.
CoinPoker offers a wide range of NLH, PLO and PLO5 cash games with stakes from $0.01/0.02 to $200/$400. The main traffic is concentrated at 7-max tables. The tournament selection offers MTTs with guarantees of up to $100,000.
Players receive a huge first deposit bonus of 150% up to $2,000, as well as a loyalty rewards program offering up to 33% rakeback.
Phenom Poker
Phenom Poker is a new cryptocurrency poker room that is open to players from Kansas and offers a fundamentally different approach to online poker. The platform is based on the ETH blockchain, the game is played in the browser and does not require installing a client.
Players from Kansas who choose Phenom Poker get:
- Access to tables for various mixed games, NLH, PLO.
- First deposit bonus of 150% up to $3,000.
- VIP rakeback from 15% to 35%.
- Participation in the weekly rake race The Grind Prix.
Phenom Poker uses its own PHNM token, in which bonuses are gathered. Players' funds are stored in external wallets, which ensures a high level of security. The main currency of the poker room is USDT, but you can make a deposit and withdraw winnings using a dozen more coins.
Online poker in Kansas
Online poker in Kansas is banned, so there are no licensed operators and no legislative framework to make it legal soon. Players in Kansas often turn to offshore sites like Ignition or America’s Cardroom, which operate in a legal gray area. They are accessible but not sanctioned or protected by the state.
When choosing such a site, you must understand that in case of a conflict with the operator, for example, if he delays the withdrawal of your winnings, the state will not protect you. This means you need to choose the safest site for the game, where there should be no problems.
That's why we've already checked the offshore sites available to Kansas players and compiled a list of the best ones with a long-standing positive reputation. You can also play on sweepstakes poker sites, which are technically not considered gambling platforms in the state for now.
Is online poker legal in Kansas?
Kansas law defines illegal gambling broadly. However, the state’s statutes don’t specifically mention online poker, which technically could leave it in a gray zone. Of course, using a simple analog rule, online poker is considered illegal by default, so there are no licensed online poker providers in the state.
Despite the prohibition on real-money online poker, Kansas residents can engage in poker games through sweepstakes sites, as well as offshore and social platforms. Of course, in most cases, they will lack consumer protection.
The Kansas law (K.S.A. 21-6403) criminalizes “placing a bet” or “keeping a gambling place,” which can be interpreted to include online platforms if they involve real money and are not licensed by the state. It can be classified as a Class B misdemeanor, resulting in fines, probation, and up to six months in jail.
The fact that online poker isn’t directly named in these laws allows ordinary players to access online sites, although not local ones. The state does not punish the players themselves for playing.
But perhaps this situation will change following the example of other states, for example, Washington. As of now, Kansas residents can legally enjoy poker tables at live poker facilities like tribal casinos or state-regulated commercial poker rooms.
Type of Gambling | Is Eligible? |
---|---|
Online poker sites | ⚠️ Not licensed (offshore poker sites only) |
Land-based poker rooms | ✅ Legal, available at licensed casinos and tribal casinos |
Sports betting | ✅ Legal, limited to tribal casinos |
Land-based casinos | ✅ Legal, with several tribal casinos operating statewide |
State lottery | ✅ Legal, operated by the Kansas Lottery Commission |
Charitable bingo & raffles | ✅ Legal, regulated under state charitable gaming laws |
Horse racing | ✅ Legal, with pari-mutuel wagering permitted at licensed tracks |
Daily fantasy sports | ✅ Legal, regulated by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission |
Sweepstakes poker
Sweepstakes poker in Kansas also operates in a legally gray zone, but it can be lawful if it strictly follows sweepstakes regulations under state law. For example, they offer a Free Alternative Method of Entry: players receive chances to win without spending money. Also, sweepstakes poker must separate play coins from prize coins.
To make it happen, such platforms offer players two types of coins: Gold Coins can be purchased or obtained as a welcome offer, but can’t be redeemed. Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for real cash, but you can get them only as part of a marketing offer or as a prize for daily sign-ins, etc.
Players use these sweep coins to enter poker games and tournaments just like real money. However, the coins are obtained for free, so there’s no gambling involved. To be able to withdraw winnings from coins, you will need to accumulate a certain amount of them, which is set by the platform.
Will Kansas regulate online poker?
As of now, Kansas has not taken active steps to regulate online poker, and there are no pending bills or major legislative efforts aimed at legalizing it. Sports betting is already legalized, but no moves towards online poker yet. Several factors contribute to this delay:
- Takes more to regulate. Unlike sports betting, which generates quick and visible tax revenue, online poker often brings a smaller player pool and more regulatory complexity.
- No public pressure. There has been little political or public pressure in Kansas to push online poker forward, especially when compared to states like Michigan or Pennsylvania.
The last attempt was taken in 2013 but failed in the Senate. In 2025, a proposal for the legalization of all types of online gambling emerged, but it remains solely a proposal. So, no signs for online poker to become legal anytime soon in Kansas.
Payment methods
Since Kansas players can access international offshore poker platforms like BetOnline or America’s Cardroom, these sites allow a wide range of payment methods. However, not all of them will work for Kansas players.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other popular coins are usually processed quickly and come with low fees. These are known to be the best options if you are savvy enough to use crypto. Traditional credit and debit cards are commonly offered, but are far more likely to be declined due to Kansas bank restrictions. The same goes for most e-wallets. However, bank wire transfers are available and work fine for withdrawals, though they can take a while.
Where to play live poker in Kansas?
There are several options to play live poker in Kansas. The first one is tribal casinos that operate under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Some of the most well-known are:
- Prairie Band Casino & Resort
- Sac & Fox Casino
- Golden Eagle Casino, etc
The second option is state-owned commercial casinos, which are licensed and overseen by the Kansas Lottery and Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. You can visit:
- Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway
- Kansas Star Casino
- Boot Hill Casino & Resort
Nonprofits, religious groups, or charitable organizations can host occasional poker tournaments as part of fundraising events. Of course, there are strict rules like no rake for the host, only non-cash prizes, and the event must be registered with the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Best poker players in Kansas
- Brandon Steven - $6,9М
- Maxx Coleman - $5,2M
- Kirk Morrison - $3,2M
- Brett Shaffer - $2,8M
- Grant Hinkle - $1,8M
Brandon Steven became the best player in the state thanks to one tournament. In 2022, the Wichita native took 2nd place in the $250K Super High Roller at the WSOP and earned $2,820,581.
Brandon does not consider himself a professional player; he earned his fortune as the founder of Brandon Steven Motors, which owns a chain of car dealerships.
According to the businessman, poker for him is, first of all, a means of dealing with stress. Despite the fact that he almost never plays tournaments under $10K, which have quite a lot of strong players.
In 2021, Steven debuted as a participant in the High Stakes Poker show, and in the past few years has become a frequent guest of Hustler Casino Live streams.
Maxx Coleman, who is in 2nd place on the Kansas All Time Money List, is more than $1.5M behind Brandon Steven in terms of winnings.
But Maxx is almost 20 years younger than his countryman, plays in live tournaments much more often and does not have 6 children, so it is quite possible that in a few years he will become the best player in Kansas.
Kansas’s poker and gambling history
In the early 19th century, poker, like other forms of betting, was incredibly popular in Kansas. The whole situation was not regulated in any way, and poker tables were open in many saloons. But as the 1900s progressed, the state followed the example of its neighbors and began to impose strict restrictions on any form of gambling.
Officially, poker was banned. Poker rooms operated illegally and were prosecuted by law. Everything changed in the 1980s when the Kansas Lottery was approved. This was only the first step. Later, the state legalized bingo, raffles, and charitable games. Eventually, the tribal casinos became legal in the late 90s. The Kansas Expanded Lottery Act in 2007 finished the process of legalizing state-owned, privately managed commercial casinos.
In recent years, another step has been taken: the legalization of online sports betting. But other forms of online gambling remain banned, including poker.
Conclusion
If you live in Kansas and are a poker fan, you have several options to gain access to a poker table. The easiest and most legal way is to visit one of the licensed tribal or commercial casinos. As a Kansas resident, you can also get access to offshore sites or visit a sweepstakes poker site. The main thing to remember is that online poker is not legalized in the state, which means that playing on such sites is associated with risks.
Responsible gambling
Despite the ban on online gambling, many Kansas players find a way to place bets and gain access to a poker table. This puts the importance of responsible gaming first. Players have several options of whom to call for help, for example, Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling or National Problem Gambling Helpline (1‑800‑GAMBLER / 1‑800‑522‑4700).
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