Kansas Lottery
The Kansas Lottery is a government organization run by the government of Kansas. It is a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association. The mission of the lottery is to produce the maximum revenue for Kansas while insuring the integrity of its games.
In November 1986, voters approved a constitutional amendment by 64% that authorized the creation of a government-run lottery, with the lottery then officially established when the Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Lottery Act in 1987.
All Kansas Lottery games have a minimum age of 18. The Kansas Lottery offers $1, $2,$3 $5, $10, $20, and $30 scratch tickets, plus $1 and $2 instant "pull-tab" games. It also offers the draw games Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Super Kansas Cash, Pick 3, 2by2, and Keno. Lottery products are sold at approximately 1,900 retailers. Kansas' newest draw game is the multi-state Lucky for Life, whose earliest version was a Connecticut-only game.
The Lottery sponsors several races at the Kansas Speedway, including the Kansas Lottery 150 and the Kansas Lottery 300, and also oversees all Kansas state-owned casinos.
History
Legalization and creation
In November 1986, voters approved a constitutional amendment by 64% that authorized the creation of a government-run lottery, with the lottery then officially established when the Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Lottery Act in 1987.Article 15 of the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the operation of a state-run lottery. The Kansas Lottery Act was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 1987, and is contained in K.S.A. 74-8701 through K.S.A. 74–8732. The Lottery Act establishes the state-owned and operated Kansas Lottery, and sets parameters for organization and operation of the Lottery. The Lottery is established by KSA 74–8703, the Kansas Lottery Commission is created by KSA 74–8709, and the powers and duties of the executive director are outlined in KSA 74-8704 and KSA 74–8706. Distribution of all revenue from the Kansas Lottery is also directed by the Legislature pursuant to K.S.A. 79-4801 through K.S.A. 79–4806. In addition to the Act itself, individual game and promotion rules are set forth in temporary administrative regulations passed by the Kansas Lottery Commission at their meetings.
In 1987, ticket sales for the Kansas Lottery began in 21 cities. The first instant game was "Up and Away", with a grand prize drawing of $100,000. The first week's sales were $7 million. The Kansas Lottery gradually introduced games. The early success of the Lottery allowed it to create elaborate marketing campaigns, including a traveling singing group, the Kansas Lottery Singers. The group took popular songs, changing lyrics for Lottery commercials. They traveled around Kansas from June to September 1988. Also in the late 1980s, the Lottery constructed a building on the Hutchinson fairgrounds. This building was used as a studio for the game show Kansas Lottery Live. Winners were drawn from a giant tub filled with non-winning lottery tickets. The game show ran on WIBW-TV, and later by the KSN TV network. The game's original hosts were Fred Broski and Teri Messner. Messner eventually left the show, replaced by Robin Smith, who co-hosted until the show ended in 1990.
The Kansas Lottery continued to introduce instant-win games, including those with higher price points. In 1995, the Kansas Legislature approved and the governor signed the renewal of the Kansas Lottery until 2002.
By 2000, the Lottery had produced $500 million for Kansas. The Lottery re-entered the game show business in 2000 by participating in the Powerball Instant Millionaire series.
Senate Bill 66
In 2007, the Kansas Legislature passed Senate Bill 66, extending the Lottery until 2022 and creating the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act authorizing the Lottery, on behalf of Kansas, to own and operate four destination casinos. Electronic gaming machines would also be allowed at three parimutuel racetracks.SB 66, as amended, created the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act which authorizes the following:
- Create "gaming zones" : Northeast Kansas Gaming Zone ; Southeast Kansas Gaming Zone ; South Central Kansas Gaming Zone ; and the Southwest Kansas Gaming Zone ;
- Pari-mutuel licensee; i.e. a racetrack facility. A pari-mutuel licensee may include any existing structure at such racetrack facility or any structure that may be constructed on real estate with such racetrack facility.
On December 22, 2008, ground was broken for the Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Dodge City. Boot Hill is the first complex built under the 2007 Kansas Expanded Lottery Act authorizing one casino in four areas to generate revenue for Kansas. A private developer, Butler National Corporation, built and managed the casino, but the Kansas Lottery owns the rights to gambling and gambling equipment. The groundbreaking ceremony was held for Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway on April 30, 2010, Kansas' second government-run casino. The fourth casino to open was the Kansas Crossing Casino on March 31, 2017. The Kansas Crossing Casino is located in Pittsburg, KS. in Crawford County inside the Southeast Kansas Gaming Zone.
Coronavirus response
After announcing the closure mandate on March 17, 2020, on March 27, the Kansas Lottery extended the suspension of state casino operations for Hollywood Casino, Kansas Crossing, Crossing, Kansas Star Casino, and Boot Hill Casino. That week, Prairie Band Casino & Resort extended its own closures through April 30, although not required to follow the mandate.Kansas Star Casino was one of four state-owned casinos to be mandated to close on March 17, 2020, by the Kansas Lottery, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The casinos re-opened May 22, 2020 after orders from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, at reduced capacity to allow for social distancing to comply with health orders, and with a limit to only slot machines, as well as employees undergoing temperature checks and wearing face coverings. Visitors had social distancing enforced and had their temperatures checked.
Scratch games and promotions
The Kansas Lottery offers hundreds of different instant scratch games as well as second-chance promotions through its loyalty program PlayOn. The promotions offer PlayOn members chances to win tickets to sporting events, concerts, and other interesting experiences. For the past 11 years, the Kansas Lottery has held the "Millionaire Holiday Raffle" (a $20 ticket where players have a 1-in-200,000 chance to win $1 million. The Lottery also participates in draw games including Powerball, Mega Millions, Super Kansas Cash, Lucky for Life, Lotto America, Pick 3, Racetrax, Keno, and 2by2.Casinos
In 2007, the state of Kansas enacted the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act, which included authorization for four casinos to be built and managed by private developers under contract with the Kansas Lottery.The following in 2020 are state-owned casinos under the control of the Kansas Lottery: Hollywood Casino, Kansas Crossing, Kansas Star Casino, and Boot Hill Casino. Other casinos in Kansas, such as Prairie Band Casino & Resort, are not state-owned.
Boot Hill Casino, Dodge City
After creating the "gaming zones" in the SB 66 amendment to the Kansas Lottery Act, the first Kansas-owned casino opened in Dodge City in December 2009. Boot Hill Casino has approximately 580 slot machines and 13 table games - including blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker. Phase 2 of construction was scheduled to be completed in December 2011. Phase 2 includes adding a hotel, day spa, two restaurants, lounges, and it approximately doubles the gaming floor.Hollywood Casino, Kansas Speedway
On April 30, 2010, the groundbreaking ceremony took place at the site of the second Kansas-owned casino negotiated under the Expanded Lottery Act. Kansas Entertainment developed the $386 million casino, set to open in 2012.The Hollywood Casino has several phases planned; the first phase includes a casino floor, 2,300 slot machines, 86 table games, and a lounge and eating facilities. Later phases may include areas such as a spa and a convention center, almost doubling the original bid of $386 million.
The casino opened in February 2012 and is at the second turn of the Kansas Speedway track.
Kansas Crossing Casino, Pittsburg
The fourth and final casino license was awarded to the Kansas Crossing Casino in Pittsburg, Kansas, on June 23, 2015, by the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. The Kansas Crossing Casino is an $80-million casino and hotel located at the intersection of Kansas Highways 69 and 400 just south of Pittsburg, KS. The Kansas Crossing Casino + Hotel opened with over 625 slot machines, 16 table games, 124 rooms Hampton Inn & Suites, Two Brothers Mining Company restaurant, and an indoor/outdoor entertainment venue called The Corral. The casino opened to the public on March 31, 2017.Sales and transfers
| FISCAL YEAR | NET SALES | GAME PRIZES | TRANSFERS TO STATE | RETAILER EARNINGS | |
| 1988 | $ 65,804,532 | $ 30,123,006 | $ 11,343,321 | $ 3,618,110 | |
| 1989 | $ 68,188,022 | $ 33,755,427 | $ 24,500,950 | $ 3,602,985 | |
| 1990 | $ 64,530,640 | $ 28,941,942 | $ 19,259,917 | $ 3,318,244 | |
| 1991 | $ 70,206,003 | $ 32,800,224 | $ 19,453,470 | $ 3,657,131 | |
| 1992 | $ 77,147,506 | $ 37,304,320 | $ 27,147,019 | $ 4,071,319 | |
| 1993 | $ 114,499,165 | $ 58,865,299 | $ 32,629,372 | $ 5,819,600 | |
| 1994 | $ 152,292,802 | $ 79,390,419 | $ 47,888,013 | $ 7,845,162 | |
| 1995 | $ 177,074,245 | $ 92,074,812 | $ 53,246,818 | $ 9,145,434 | |
| 1996 | $ 182,113,628 | $ 96,088,069 | $ 58,114,547 | $ 9,949,228 | |
| 1997 | $ 185,356,681 | $ 99,351,785 | $ 56,658,134 | $ 10,416,933 | |
| 1998 | $ 192,017,310 | $ 101,688,863 | $ 60,304,388 | $ 10,935,736 | |
| 1999 | $ 198,920,985 | $ 107,079,089 | $ 59,333,464 | $ 11,133,848 | |
| 2000 | $ 192,560,800 | $ 104,377,074 | $ 59,646,911 | $ 11,086,788 | |
| 2001 | $ 184,727,159 | $ 97,938,088 | $ 56,535,258 | $ 10,657,155 | |
| 2002 | $ 190,083,880 | $ 98,963,631 | $ 60,494,603 | $ 10,970,972 | |
| 2003 | $ 202,942,874 | $ 107,660,534 | $ 62,500,000 | $ 11,743,157 | |
| 2004 | $ 224,457,166 | $ 120,775,874 | $ 70,217,944 | $ 12,926,131 | |
| 2005 | $ 206,720,771 | $ 112,554,879 | $ 65,409,441 | $ 12,086,279 | |
| 2006 | $ 236,045,945 | $ 131,004,556 | $ 67,088,609 | $ 13,641,678 | |
| 2007 | $ 239,955,044 | $ 133,975,947 | $ 71,016,098 | $ 13,936,849 | |
| 2008 | $ 236,667,471 | $ 132,970,457 | $ 70,046,954 | $ 13,768,683 | |
| 2009 | $ 230,505,668 | $ 130,911,165 | $ 68,187,612 | $ 13,446,468 | |
| 2010 | $ 235,414,168 | $ 132,427,895 | $ 69,026,898 | $ 13,670,875 | |
| 2011 | $ 232,372,510 | $ 132,332,017 | $ 70,010,541 | $ 13,783,253 | |
| 2012 | $ 246,144,512 | $ 138,903,876 | $ 72,000,000 | $ 14,385,728 | |
| 2013 | $ 244,764,848 | $ 138,554,999 | $ 74,500,000 | $ 14,295,934 | |
| 2014 | $ 245,708,290 | $ 138,741,873 | $ 74,291,352 | $ 14,435,510 | |
| 2015 | $ 250,025,840 | $ 144,914,052 | $ 75,020,240 | $ 14,806,722 | |
| 2016 | $ 272,017,364 | $ 157,300,767 | $ 78,205,450 | $ 16,017,493 | |
| 2017 | $ 258,030,943 | $ 149,709,855 | $ 75,255,881 | $ 15,325,980 | |
| 2018 | $ 268,948,805 | $ 157,890,979 | $ 74,726,543 | $ 15,881,181 | |
| 2019 | $ 295,282,190 | $ 172,676,708 | $ 74,909,328 | $ 17,327,773 | |
| TOTALS | $6,241,527,767 | $3,432,048,481 | $1,858,969,076 | $ 357,708,339 |