Gov. Andy Beshear joined the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and lawmakers on Monday to announce that residents across the Commonwealth can make their first sports bets in Kentucky in less than 60 days.
The announcement followed the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meeting, where members unanimously approved emergency administrative regulations that will govern sports wagering. The Governor then immediately signed the regulations at the Red Mile, a gaming and racing venue that is eligible to apply to be a sports betting location. To see the other facilities eligible to apply, click here.
Retail locations are set to open September 7, followed by mobile applications on September 28.
Starting today, 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 Sept. 7.
Each licensed facility will also be permitted to partner with up to three marketing platforms for mobile wagering, to be launched Sept. 28.
“This is a historic day for our commonwealth – sports wagering will open for the first time in Kentucky in less than 60 days,” Beshear 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.”
On March 31, 2023, Gov. Beshear signed bipartisan legislation – House Bill 551 – legalizing sports wagering in Kentucky. Since then, the commission has 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.
“We have worked hard to deliver sports wagering to Kentuckians with regulations designed to protect bettors,” said Public Protection Cabinet Secretary Ray Perry. “Kentuckians can be sure that their bets are safe, their money is protected and there is effective oversight and enforcement if the law is not followed.”
Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Chairman Jonathan Rabinowitz added, “The conversations we had with regulators and industry experts laid the groundwork for these clear and responsible regulations. The commission has a long history of pari-mutuel wagering integrity and is uniquely positioned to protect Kentucky bettors. Wagering integrity was the top priority of these regulations. We also considered the importance of flexibility to meet the changing demands of the industry.”
In May, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced that it was hiring additional staff to prepare for the sports wagering launch. The commission is in the process of filling 14 new positions. Job titles range from management to auditing and compliance. Many positions have been filled, including the director of sports wagering, with others still progressing through the hiring process.
