Kentucky Gambling Laws Guide
The Kentucky gambling laws would probably look as too harsh a legislation when compared to the situation in the states that embrace gambling in all its forms. Well, there are more positives than negatives to that, believe the lawmakers. However, what interests us is the opinion of punters like us who reside in the US. We will try to look at the gambling law in Kentucky from punters’ perspective. Let’s see what bets are allowed and what are not.
The ever-expanding world of gambling has given legislators a hard enough time doing their job. Additional pressure from the administration wanting more tax money didn’t make things much easier for lawmakers. We will need to take a careful look at how to stay compliant with the current gambling laws of Kentucky.
What Betting is Authorized by the Gambling Laws in Kentucky
You have a few options as an aspiring punter who is of legal for the US gambling age. For the most part, they constitute land-based gambling as the online space is a restricted domain for games of chance. Be that as it may, the lawmakers have not laid hands on the lottery, which is running on all four online.
Racinos used to be an excellent place to spin the reels of a popular slot game – something that would be unthinkable elsewhere, but not anymore. We are looking forward to the Kentucky Supreme Court ironing out the differences in opinions regarding historical horse racing machines.
For your convenience, we have detailed the commonly known forms of gambling in KY along with their legal status. Before you go any further with your intention to place bets, make sure to read through this whole section. If you feel uncertain about an important piece of information either search for answers in the FAQ section on this page or the official Kentucky state page
Historical Horse Racing
The Kentucky Supreme Court refuses to give the green light to historical horse racing. The Family Foundations expressing strong opinions against HHR machines might cause the state regulators to shut the ones in operation quickly. However, the results of the litigation on the matter are still up in the air.
From an observer’s standpoint, it still looks as though HHR machines are regarded as a breach of the gambling law. The opinions that led to this decision stem from the fact these games are slot-like, meaning that little skill is involved in their exploitation. Lucky for the fans, historical racing games are not completely abolished but rendered out of service only temporarily. This hints at the possibility of a re-legalization at a future point in time.
Legality of KY Daily Fantasy Sports
Presently, daily fantasy sports are one of the few permitted ways of betting money under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Approval was granted because in this type of betting, outcome is decided by the participants’ skills rather than luck by definition. Even if you don’t see it that way, the fact of the matter is that is how legislators see it.
DFS almost got fully legalized in 2017 after an attempt to usher a regulated market for it was made. The bill proposed in 2017, however, was three votes short of approval. Despite being a partly grey area, Kentuckians are able to participate in competitions of this kind without violating the gambling law in Kentucky.
Legality of KY Sports Betting
Pari-Mutuel betting on horse races is the only form of sports wagers that are legally permitted in the state of Kentucky. Anything else that qualifies as a charitable gaming event also offers legal opportunity to place a wager or two. There are no designated sports betting shops nor sites that one can visit. Even if you know of any, abstain from visiting – they are not regulated.
Representative Adam Koening’s earnest effort to put Kentucky on the map of sports betting in 2020 had failed. He promises to try again in 2021 and submit a Kentucky sports betting bill for the Kentucky legislature to review. However this may be, it’s only during a short 30-day window of time that in odd-numbered years that such changes in the Kentucky gambling law can be made by legislators.
It is time to legalize medical marijuana, to pass sports betting and to save historic horse racing – Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky
We will keep you posted on this and other news that is in tight correlation with the legality of sports betting. The bigger problem at hand seems to be historical horse racing falling by the wayside. We predict that real money wagers on horse racing would not become available before racino betting machines are legalized anew.
Legality of the Kentucky Lottery
It’s funny how, despite the ‘game of skill’ not apply to lottery, it earns million in revenue to the state. In case we didn’t get across, the KY Lottery is a legal gaming service that state residents can avail of. The Kentucky laws on gambling have allowed for the creations of one of the most sophisticated lottery sites we know of. If you are a fan of buying lotto tickets online, you may feel like a kid in a candy store.
| Year Founded | 1988 |
| Year Legalized | 1989 |
| CEO | Tom Delacenserie |
| Contribution to Education | 3.8 billion (since 1999) |
| Contribution to the Commonwealth in FY20 | $278.5 million |
| Biggest Winner | Kent Miller, $89.3 million |
Lottery, inarguably, finds the favour with the gambling laws in Kentucky and continues to thrive on the current situation. Believe it or not, the gambling laws in Ohio are quite similar in that regard. Though, not a new phenomenon, interest in the online lottery is on the rise in recent years. Coincidently or not, this is one of the few legal outlets for would-be bettors in the state.
Kentucky Laws on Casino Gambling
Due to the unfriendly gambling climate, casino operators are standing at arm’s length from the KY market. Consequently, you are not going to find an open casino with blackjack, roulette, poker and such. Even the few racinos that have slot-like gambling machines were compelled by the decision of the Kentucky Supreme Court to put them out of exploitation.
You know it’s not getting any better when the plea of governor Andy Beshear to preserve the integrity of historical horse racing betting was turned down. As it is, the gambling laws leave no room for land-based Kentucky casinos. If you really want to experience the thrill of playing at a well-appointed casino, you will have to visit another state where the likes are legal.
Kentucky Bingo
Bingo is one of the few games that fit into the category of “charitable event”. As such, it is something that players can legally enjoy, as long as they don’t play online. Another confirmation of the much less strict measures is the legal age for playing of only 18 years. Just look at how many bingo halls there are in the state.
- Bingo Fantastic
- Kentucky State Line Bingo
- Charity Hall Bingo
- AMVETS Bingo Hall
- Corbin Bingo Parlor LLC
- Sunshine Bingo Center LLC
- Bingo City At Breckenridge
- St. john Bingo Hall
With the Kentucky gambling laws on its side, the bingo domain has grown into a full-fledged industry with quite a few bingo halls. This is something you can trust to the state’s regulation and play without the worry of being caught red-handed or being cheated out of your money. Other examples of charity events include raffles.
Kentucky Online Gambling Laws
While online lottery is blooming, the gambling laws in Kentucky aren’t all that tolerable to other forms of Internet gambling. Neither sports betting nor casino fans can catch a break. The state takes a firm stance against wagering real money on anything but the state lottery. It seems that trend is going to continue for quite some time, unless the efforts of governor Andy Beshar yield positive results.
What matters at this point in time is that the gambling laws in Kentucky don’t allow for a full-blown industry to exist legally. You have to be very careful what you choose to bet your money on. You should also stay informed about the best legal casinos in the US in case changes are introduced to the law.
Online Casino Sites
The Kentucky online gambling laws took the wind out of the sails of prospective online casino operators. There is no piece of legislation addressing the issue of online gambling specifically, but betting real money on games of chance is forbidden as is. Coming from there, it’s easy to deduce that doing so online is forbidden by extension.
Just look at what the Kentucky online poker scene looks like. It’s torn apart by the biggest scandal in the history of online poker. Settling for offshore sites isn’t a good solution because it’s technically illegal. The government feels strongly about gambling tax money. Especially the money that it is not getting paid.
Online Poker
Online poker for real money is illegal in KY, as currently stated by the Kentucky online gambling laws. And you better not question if law enforcement is tight in the stat. One of the notorious cases of illegal online poker activity has recently seen development, and it comes in the form of a hefty monetary penalty.
The Kentucky Supreme Court has decreed an online poker giant to pay $1 billion for illegal operation. That goes way over the head of online poker sites that would want to operate on the KY market, so there aren’t any currently. Until the activity becomes properly regulated and taxed, it would be safer for you to not play online poker from the state of Kentucky.
Governor Andy Beshear – A Light Bearer in the Tunnel
Andy Beshear is an active proponent of integrating gaming for the sake of a much-needed influx of state money. He recognizes the change that occurred in other states that have gone down that road. People from all over the country travel to Kentucky to watch horse racing and bet on the races.
What if they had a diverse gaming market at hand? Beshar argues that it could be a turning point in solving the pension crisis in the state. In an email to the state’s lawmakers, he argues eloquently in favour of the legalised casino, fantasy sports, and sports betting. According to Andy Beshear, the benefits would be:
- Solving the pension crisis
- Not raising taxes
- Inclusive and safer gaming market
- Gambling tourism
If another serious clampdown on gaming doesn’t occur, a new lease of life for the industry could be just around the corner. Kentucky wouldn’t be the first state to change its policies concerning gaming. That leaves us believing that future changes to the gambling laws in Kentucky are possible.
Kentucky Gambling Laws FAQ
Do you think, Kentucky’s laws on gambling need further clarification? We’ve covered the key points in this section. Simply scroll down and see if we have an answer to your question. It’s also a good idea to check our other pages dedicated to the best casinos in the US.
