Kentucky state officials are ready to push a tight timeline to open retail and online sports betting in September at the start of the NFL season and a large part of college football.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) announced dates when wagering will begin during a special meeting on Monday.
Retail betting will start on Sept. 7, at the start of the NFL betting season, when the Kansas City Chiefs go up against the Detroit Lions in the first NFL game on Thursday Night Football.
Mobile sports betting will launch on Sept. 28 when the Lions take on the Green Bay Packers.
During a press conference on Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said he is giving Kentuckians what they want.
“After years of pushing to get sports betting passed in Kentucky, I signed legislation House Bill 551 on March 31 to legalize it in the commonwealth,” Beshear said following the KHRC special meeting.
“Just a few moments ago, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved emergency administrative regulations that are required to open sports wagering in Kentucky. And in just a few moments, I’m going to sign them.”
The governor signed the regulations at the Red Mile, a gaming and horse racing venue that is eligible to apply to be a sports betting location.
Beshear continued, “You know when you look back at this, the odds were against us. But we were determined to get sports betting passed in Kentucky, and we got it done. Today, only a few months later, I announced that Kentuckians can place a bet in just under 60 days. We got it done, Kentucky.”
Over 35 states, including the District of Columbia, have legalized sports betting in some form, retail or online. Vermont and North Carolina passed online sports wagering bills this year that were signed by each state’s governor in June.
Lawmakers estimate the state could land $23 million in additional revenue from betting in the first year alone. Retail sportsbooks will be taxed at 9.7% and online operations at 14.35%.
Meanwhile, Beshear announced on Tuesday the largest revenue surplus in Kentucky’s history.
A Twitter post by the governor states General Fund receipts for the fiscal year 2023 totaled $15.1 billion, exceeding budgeted estimates by $1.4 billion.
“Our economy is strong and new jobs and better wages are helping families live better lives,” Beshear said on Twitter.
Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and lawmakers to announce that Kentuckians can make their first-ever sports bets in Kentucky in less than 60 days.
Read more: https://t.co/YBgPFLXQkn pic.twitter.com/daf2kGiGGB
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 10, 2023
The governor said bringing sports wagering to the state not only gives Kentuckians a much-anticipated new form of entertainment but also brings money to the state to support pensions, freeing up money that can be used to build a better Kentucky through the funding of education, economic development, disaster recovery and other necessary projects, like providing cleaner water, building roads and high-speed internet.
Members of the KHRC have met with representatives in states that have recently launched sports wagering, as well as industry experts, to learn from best practices and shared experiences. Kentucky chose a tiered implementation date, which was used in multiple states and allows for testing of policy and procedure before the full rollout that will include mobile applications.
“The commission has a long history of pari-mutuel wagering integrity and is uniquely positioned to protect Kentucky bettors,” said KHRC Chairman Jonathan Rabinowitz.
The next step is to open sports wagering licensing and start reviewing applications. Bettors can expect to see household sportsbook names like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM among the applicants.
Starting Tuesday, each of Kentucky’s licensed horseracing facilities can apply for a retail sportsbook at their main location or at a licensed satellite location. The state anticipates that each facility will open a retail location, and many will be ready to launch on Sept. 7.
Kentucky Facilities Eligible To Apply To Be Sports Betting Locations
- Churchill Downs Louisville
- Cumberland Run, coming soon to Corbin
- Derby City Gaming in Louisville
- Derby City Gaming, coming soon to downtown Louisville
- Ellis Park Owensboro, coming soon
- Ellis Park, Henderson
- Keeneland, Lexington
- Kentucky Downs, Franklin
- The Mint Gaming Hall, Bowling Green
- Newport Racing and Gaming, Newport
- Oak Grove Gaming and Racing, Oak Grove
- The Red Mile in Lexington
- Sandy’s Gaming and Racing, coming soon to Ashland
- Turfway Park, Florence
Each licensed facility will also be permitted to partner with up to three marketing platforms for mobile wagering, to be launched on Sept. 28.
