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Applications for Online Sports Betting in Kentucky Being Considered

By Lisa Spencer Senior Editor Updated: 21 August 2023

Lisa Spencer Senior Editor

As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.

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As the countdown continues for the launch of sports betting in Kentucky, applications from online sportsbook operators have been submitted.

In addition, applications from the seven horse racetracks in the state have also come in to allow in-person sports betting. All applications are now being considered by regulators in the state, and in-person sports wagering could be available within weeks, according to reports.

With the football season ready to kick off in just a few weeks, this spells great news for sports fans and sports betting operators across the state. It means that there will be legal betting facilities available by the start of the NFL season if all goes to plan.

Applications are being looked at by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, with decisions likely to be made later on in the month.

Officials recently announced the list of operators that had applied for licenses and also spoke about their support for the start of sports betting in the state.

Support from the State Governor

The state governor, Andy Beshear, is keen to see sports betting kick off in the state and is aware of the many benefits that it will bring.

He said that the countdown was on for people in the state to place their first bets on sports events at a retail location in 28 days. He said that this would provide the people of Kentucky with an excellent new entertainment option and would also bring in more money for the state to support pensions.

Beshear said that this would result in:

…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.

The timing of the launch, if everything runs smoothly, means that the state can hit the ground running, as in-person betting could be available by the start of the football season.

As part of the application process, all seven of the racetracks in the state have filed for brick-and-mortar facilities to allow in-person betting. These include Oak Grove Gaming and Racing in Oak Grove, The Red Mile in Lexington, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ellis Park in Henderson, and Turfway Park in Florence.

It was further revealed that another two racetracks that are yet to open have also filed applications, and these are Cumberland Run in Corbin, and Sandy’s Gaming and Racing in Ashland.

The companies that have filed applications for online sports betting in Kentucky include FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365, Caesars, BetMGM, Circa, and Penn Sports Interactive.

Voting to Take Place at August Meeting

Members of the KHRC are set to meet on 22nd August, and this is when voting will take place on the applications that have been received.

A spokesperson from the commission said that members were excited to be working on the launch of sports betting in Kentucky and that they were working efficiently to ensure the timely launch of sports betting and to meet deadlines. He added that the process involved ensuring integrity when it came to sports betting activities and ensuring the safety of bettors.