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Mobile sports betting is now legal in Kentucky. What to know about the law

lucas aulbach, louisville courier journal
·3 min read

After months of preparation and years of anticipation, sports gambling is finally open for business in Kentucky.

Gov. Andy Beshear placed the first legal wager in the Bluegrass State on Sept. 7, the day betting at in-person facilities was legalized. Thursday, meanwhile, marks another notable step — mobile betting through online apps and websites becomes legal in Kentucky.

You may have some questions — especially if you're a Louisville resident who hasn't made a trip in the past few years to Indiana, where sports betting has been legal since 2019, a year after a ban in place in most states was struck down by the federal government. Let's take a quick look at what's now legal in Kentucky.

Sports betting in Kentucky timeline

Surrounded by lawmakers and members of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, center, signs off on the regulations that will guide officials as they roll out sports wagering around the state. July 10, 2023
Surrounded by lawmakers and members of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, center, signs off on the regulations that will guide officials as they roll out sports wagering around the state. July 10, 2023

Sports betting in Kentucky became legal is Sept. 7, 2023, with brick-and-mortar locations authorized to take bets on that date.

Mobile betting, meanwhile, opened Sept. 28, 2023.

The goal was to have legalized gambling operations up and running in time for football season, Beshear and others said throughout the leadup to September.

Legislation to legalize sports betting was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly on the final day of the 2023 session, with Beshear approving the new law soon after. A similar bill passed through the state House in 2022 but did not get out of the Senate, and an earlier effort fell short in 2020.

The legislation allows bettors to gamble on the outcomes of most college and professional sports, including international events. Betting on amateur youth sporting events is prohibited.

What mobile sports betting apps are available in Kentucky?

Eight service providers have been approved by the state to operate mobile sports betting applications in Kentucky, according to Beshear's office, including:

  • Bet365

  • BetMGM

  • Caesars

  • Circa Sports

  • DraftKings

  • Fanatics

  • FanDuel

  • Penn Sports Interactive

Where can I bet in-person in Kentucky?

Historical horse racing betting machines inside the Red Mile complex in Lexington, Kentucky. July 10, 2023
Historical horse racing betting machines inside the Red Mile complex in Lexington, Kentucky. July 10, 2023

Several facilities are currently open for wagering, according to the state, including:

  • Churchill Downs (700 Central Ave., Louisville)

  • Derby City Gaming (4520 Poplar Level Road, Louisville)

  • Ellis Park (3300 US Hwy 41 N, Henderson)

  • The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland (244 Penny Lane, Williamsburg)

  • The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland Run (777 Winners Lane, Corbin)

  • Newport Racing & Gaming (1723 Monmouth St., Newport)

  • Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel (777 Winners Way, Oak Grove)

  • The Red Mile (1200 Red Mile Road, Lexington)

  • Turfway Park Racing & Gaming (7500 Turfway Road, Florence)

Additional sports betting facilities are expected to open in Louisville (Derby City Gaming Downtown), Ashland (Sandy's Gaming and Racing) and Owensboro (Ellis Park expansion) but will not yet be available Thursday. Keeneland did not seek a license with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the state board in charge of regulating sports gambling in the state, but the Lexington racetrack owns the nearby Red Mile gaming complex

Who can bet in Kentucky?

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu shows his receipt after placing the first legal sports wagering bet on his mobile phone in the state on Dec. 30, 2019. Sports betting will be legal in Kentucky beginning Sept. 7, 2023.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu shows his receipt after placing the first legal sports wagering bet on his mobile phone in the state on Dec. 30, 2019. Sports betting will be legal in Kentucky beginning Sept. 7, 2023.

In the Bluegrass State, basically anyone age 18 or older is technically eligible to bet. But if you're not at least 21, some platforms won't take your money.

While many states that have legalized betting have set the age minimum at 21, state Rep. Michael Meredith (who cosponsored the sports betting bill that was passed) said in July the eligibility age in Kentucky had been set at age 18 to remain in line with other betting laws in the commonwealth, such as horse racing and the lottery.

Several mobile betting platforms, though, are sticking with that higher age limit, including FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook, which require bettors to be 21 or older. The DraftKings app will allow anyone 18 or older to bet.

Some additional restrictions apply for athletes at Kentucky universities, along with coaches and athletics department employees, as they have the ability to impact the outcome of games. In Iowa earlier this year, criminal charges were brought against a number of collegiate athletes accused of tampering with records to disguise their identities while betting.

Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Sports betting Kentucky: Who can bet, where to wager, timeline and more