A cock is the male of any type of domestic fowl, and cockfighting is a blood sport in which two (or more) cocks are placed in a ring or confined area and encouraged to attack or fight each other. Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia—but remains legal in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Although cockfighting is illegal in all states, the potential punishment for the crime varies from state to state. In thirteen states, a first offense charge of cockfighting is a misdemeanor—including Alabama, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. But in California, Louisiana, and New Mexico, second, third, and subsequent offenses may be prosecuted as felonies.

And some states also prohibit possession of cockfighting tools (implements) such as a gaff or slasher; ownership and training of cocks for the purpose of cockfighting; and attending cockfighting events.
Cockfighting laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—and usually in the state’s penal or criminal code.

In Kansas, cockfighting is illegal and considered animal cruelty. The state's laws prohibit not only engaging in cockfighting but also the possession of cockfighting implements, the ownership and training of cocks for fighting, and being a spectator at a cockfighting event. These laws are found within the Kansas Statutes, specifically in the criminal code. The penalties for cockfighting offenses can include fines, imprisonment, or both, and the severity of the punishment can vary depending on the nature of the offense and whether it is a first or subsequent violation. Kansas takes animal cruelty seriously, and as such, has established these regulations to deter participation in and the facilitation of cockfighting activities.