Kentucky sports gambling is well-known thanks to the state’s rich horse racing history. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most significant horse racing events in the world, taking place on the first Saturday of May[1]. However, despite the links between Kentucky and horse racing, the state has a lot of restrictions on gambling.
There are no casinos, land-based or otherwise, throughout the state of Kentucky. While bets can be placed at racetracks, sportsbooks are currently not allowed to operate in KY either. Lottery games and bingo halls are allowed, but these also need to follow strict rules. Many bettors often ask is sports betting legal in Kentucky, and the current answer is no.
Other areas of the US have recently made a lot of progress in legalizing gambling. In 2018. The Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act[2]. Since then, states have been able to set their own laws on sports betting, and many states now offer legal betting. Kentucky hasn’t followed suit, although some attempts have been made.
Attempts to Legalize Gambling in Kentucky
While most forms of gambling are currently illegal in Kentucky, attempts have been made to change this. The state does already allow bingo and lottery games, as well as pari-mutuel betting on horse racing and racetracks. Aside from this, the argument for legal gambling is that many people simply travel to neighboring states to legally bet instead. This means that the Kentucky government is missing out on potential tax revenue.
While those who are in Kentucky can choose to travel to states such as Indiana to place legal bets on sports, there is still a strong demand for legal sports betting and gambling in KY. As a result of this demand and after seeing the success of previous states that had legalized gambling, Kentucky legislators have tried to introduce legal sports betting.
The most recent example of a push for legal gambling in KY was the HB 137 bill[3]. Introduced by Rep. Adam Koenig, this bill aimed to introduce regulations for legal sports betting. However, it also included details on legislation for legal poker and daily fantasy sports. Currently, fantasy sports platforms are something of a legal grey area, and the bill aimed to clarify this and ensure that sports fans could still sign up to play.
The HB 137 bill was introduced in 2020, and although it initially received support, it received a lot of amendments from other representatives in the Kentucky house. Unfortunately, these amendments killed off the bill, and it didn’t pass before the end of legislation for 2020. While this came as a disappointment for fans of gambling in Kentucky, it wasn’t the end of the state’s attempts to legalize and regulate gambling.
Adam Koenig has reiterated that he still wants to bring legal sports betting to Kentucky. Currently, the state is surrounded by legal sports betting states, with five out of seven neighboring states all allowing legal sportsbooks. The two that don’t allow sports betting, Ohio and Missouri, have also started to push through legalization to legalize it. This means that Kentucky could be one of the only states in the area without legal sports betting, leading KY residents to travel to other states to place bets.
Due to the amount of potential tax revenue being missed through not legalizing sports betting Kentucky, many legislators are keen to change the current laws. Regulating the sports betting market in KY could result in millions of dollars a year, with sportsbooks in states such as Indiana recording tens of millions in revenue each month[4]. Naturally, there will be further efforts to bring legal sports betting to Kentucky, and the changes could be sooner than many expect.
Will Kentucky Regulate Gambling in 2022?
After the 2020 bill to regulate sports betting in Kentucky failed, it took some time before it was brought up again. However, in 2022, a new sports betting bill was introduced in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The new Kentucky sports betting bill, known as HB 606, was also introduced by Rep. Adam Koenig.
While Koenig’s last attempt failed, this one has a much better chance of success. The calls for legalized Kentucky sports betting have grown louder over the past two years. As more neighboring states approve sports betting bills, it seems increasingly likely that KY will join them. Kentucky online sports betting could also follow if this bill is successful.
One of the main reasons why the HB 606 bill could have better success than previous attempts is that it has the backing of Governor Andy Beshear[5]. When interviewed, the state Governor had the following to say:
“I believe the time was right years and years and years ago when virtually every state around us, all Republican states, already have it. We talk about having a competitive business climate but right now we’re not allowing business that every state around us is.
“The fact is you can drive right across the border, virtually any of our borders, and on your cell phone make a bet, and a dollar or a percentage of that bet is going to go to those states for their roads and bridges, for their schools and for other needs. The fact that we haven’t done it at this point is not only silly but puts us at a competitive disadvantage.”
Many local business owners, including those working in the horse racing industry, are also on board with the idea of legal sports betting. However, there are opponents to the bill. Some members of the religious community, as well as the local conservative group the Family Foundation, have previously opposed legal gambling in KY.
Casinos in Kentucky
While the main focus of legislators has mostly been on sports betting, there are also some calls to legalize online casino gaming too. Land-based casinos aren’t available in Kentucky, but historical horse racing (HHR) machines[6] are available at racetracks. These games operate in a similar way to slot machines at casinos, paying out instant wins based on past races.
These HHR machines recently came under fire from the state’s Supreme Court, which argued that they weren’t legal under the current pari-mutuel gambling laws in Kentucky. The machines are an important part of racetracks, providing revenue and supporting the local industry in Kentucky.
There are some who believe that Kentucky should look to fully legalize casino gaming, especially considering how many neighboring states allow casinos to operate. One of the supporters of full casino gaming in KY is Governor Beshear himself. It’s unlikely that casino gaming will be brought in before sports betting, but it’s certainly something that could happen in the future if the regulated sports betting market goes well.
According to Gov. Beshear, “Indiana has it. They make hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue. We ought to do that. I’m willing to start with sports betting, but how about we compete with West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri that all have casinos at or near our borders.”
“We want to help push sports betting over the line. We think once people see that and the opportunity that’s there that hopefully, we’ll be closer to the full-blown gaming that I believe the majority of Kentuckians want and are tired of their dollars paving the roads in our neighboring states.”[7]
While Beshear is mostly referring to land-based casinos, the state could look to legalize Kentucky online casino gaming too. A growing number of US states, including nearby Pennsylvania, have made online casinos legal, meaning players can sign up and play casino games from their mobile or computer. US online casino games include slots, roulette, blackjack and offer the chance to win real money.
What Will Legal Gambling in Kentucky Look Like?
It’s hard to say how the regulated gambling market will look in Kentucky before it’s established. However, we do know that all gambling activities in the state are currently regulated by the Kentucky Lottery and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. It’s probable that the Lottery will be responsible for licensing and regulating legal sportsbooks and online casino Kentucky sites if they’re legalized.
Based on laws in states that have already legalized gambling, Kentucky will most likely require anyone to be at least 18 years old to bet. Currently, lottery games and horse race bets are only available to those 18 and up. If online sports betting Kentucky launches, users will need to upload their ID in order to play.
Final Thoughts
Those who are interested in knowing how to bet on sports in Kentucky will find that so far, there aren’t that many options. Horse racing is still the only form of betting allowed in the Bluegrass State, although this might change in the future.
Currently, a new bill is in the House of Representatives, and it does have the backing of the Governor and several others. If this bill were to pass, it would mean legal sports betting finally arrives in Kentucky. This could also lead to Kentucky online casinos, with many other US states already legalizing online gambling.
Kentucky online gambling laws haven’t been established just yet. While legal online gambling could be around the corner, more progress still needs to be made. Until then, bettors will have to stick to horse race betting and historical horse racing machines.
Sources
- Zanzucchi, Mia. “When Is the 2022 Kentucky Derby? Date, Start Time, Distance, Race Info.” NBC Sports, 23 Feb. 2022, https://sports.nbcsports.com/2022/02/22/kentucky-derby-2022-start-time-date-distance-race-coverage-info/
- Perez, A.J. “What It Means: Supreme Court Strikes down PASPA Law That Limited Sports Betting.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 14 May 2018, https://usatoday.com/story/sports/2018/05/14/supreme-court-sports-betting-paspa-law-new-jersey/440710002/
- Commission, Kentucky Legislative Research. “Kentucky General Assembly.” 20RS HB 137, 7 Jan. 2020, https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/20rs/hb137.html
- Benbow, Dana Hunsinger. “Indiana’s Sports Betting Obsession: Gamblers Wagered $436 Million in 4 Months.” The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Star, 14 Jan. 2020, https://eu.indystar.com/story/sports/2020/01/13/indianas-sports-betting-obsession-hoosiers-wagered-436-million-four-months/4454136002/
- Schreiner, Bruce. “Andy Beshear Touts Expanded Gambling as Way to Fund Pensions.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 19 Apr. 2019, https://apnews.com/article/4ababfd05bb04cacba5a7a14dd9e9171
- “What Are Historical Horse Racing Machines?” Las Vegas Advisor, https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/question/historical-horse-racing/
- Mcclanahan, Gil. “Ky. Governor Asks Lawmakers to Embrace Expanded Casino Gambling in Budget Address.” WCHS, WCHS, 30 Jan. 2020, https://wchstv.com/news/local/ky-governor-asks-lawmakers-to-embrace-expanded-casino-gambling-in-budget-address
