Find the Best Legal Kentucky Sports Betting Sites: Safe Bookies

Kentucky has a mixed-approach to gambling legalization. While residents and visitors can enjoy horse track betting and casino gambling, for the time being, Kentucky sports betting is still illegal. That being said, there is currently a big push for sports betting in the state’s government, so legalization may happen soon.

As we only recommend legal and trustworthy betting operators on this website and have no Kentucky legal online sportsbook to recommend, we have instead dedicated this page to covering other gambling topics. This includes the current gambling laws, other available betting options in the state, and the future outlook for sports betting.

What Betting Options are Legal for Kentucky Residents

Currently, Kentucky players are able to enjoy a few gambling options including pari-mutuel horse wagering, limited casino gambling, and the Kentucky Lottery. As we’ll cover below, locals are also able to enjoy daily fantasy sports wagering, though this activity currently remains in a legal gray area.

Is Daily Fantasy Legal in Kentucky?

The closest thing to legal Kentucky online gambling is probably daily fantasy sports (DFS), although the games aren’t technically legal. It’s more accurate to say that DFS is simply tolerated in Kentucky, meaning that although there is no law permitting DFS, players can still enjoy competitions without fear of consequences.

Reputable sports betting sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings both offer their DFS sportsbooks to Kentucky players. Both companies were supportive of a recent bill that would make DFS legal in the state, and although the bill wasn’t successful, it seems as though the operators may have a good shot in 2021.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for Kentucky Players

There are currently no legal online sports betting in Kentucky. This means that Kentucky players aren’t even allowed to access offshore betting sites such as Bovada and MyBookie to place wagers. Keep in mind that only licensed legal websites are guaranteed to be safe and fair. Any sportsbook that accepts illegal players can not be trusted.

Casinos

Kentucky may not technically have any casino gambling, but it does offer limited casino gaming options at its nine racino horse tracks. More than 2,000 slots and gaming machines can be played at these racinos, which are among the most famous in the country.

Unfortunately, players can not play casino table games at these locations. Unlike many other states, Kentucky also has no Native American casinos. This is because neither of Kentucky’s two tribes are recognized by the federal government and are therefore not qualified to offer tribal gaming.

Racetrack Betting

Perhaps one of the best-known and popular horse racetracks in the USA, if not the world, is the Churchill Downs track. Every year, Churchill Downs hosts the Kentucky Derby, a race that generates hundreds of millions of dollars of wagers every year. Other major tracks include Keeneland and Kentucky Downs.

Offtrack race betting is the other form of legal online sports betting in Kentucky. Not only are there several off-track betting parlors, but some tracks such as Churchill Downs have created websites that allow bettors to place wagers on their mobiles when they are seated in premises.

Nearby States with Legal Sports Betting

Until there is legal sports betting in Kentucky, locals are free to travel to neighboring states to place bets on sports games. Betting in legal sports betting states is legal for Kentucky residents as long as they use trusted, licensed sports betting websites that have been approved by local governments.

Below, we’ve listed three neighboring states that Kentucky residents can travel to in order to place legal wagers on sports games.

• Indian
• Illinois
• West Virginia

What would Legal Sports Betting in Kentucky Look Like

After months of trying, a bill looking to legalize Kentucky sports betting failed to pass. This is despite having a majority of approval in both the Kentucky House of Representatives and the Kentucky Senate. Even Kentucky’s governor approved of the bill and expected it to pass.

However, the efforts failed after the coronavirus pandemic saw the year’s legislative session cut short. Due to certain legislative processes, it may be more difficult to pass Kentucky sports betting in 2021, though many are still hopeful that enough lawmakers and voters will push for the changes in the new year.

It is most likely that if legalization was to be successful, sports betting would be regulated by the Kentucky Lottery Corporation. They would be in charge of ensuring licensees act in the best interest of players, whether that be by offering safe and fair products and adding protections for problem gamblers.

Once legal online sports betting in Kentucky is available, Kentuckians can expect to bet on professional local teams such as the Kentucky Colonels. Legalization will also ensure that players will always be able to bet at the safest betting sites, which will offer the fairest odds and guarantee player protection.

What are the Kentucky Gambling Laws

Compared to other states in the USA, Kentucky has fairly limited gambling laws. In fact, the only kind of gambling that is specifically allowed according to Kentucky law is pari-mutuel horse racing. Even so, Kentucky has very strict rules on the horse racing industry and how it accepts wagers.

Kentucky gambling laws are quite limiting as to what else is illegal. The law states that in order for a wagerable activity not to be considered gambling, skill must be a prevailing element. Those participating in illegal gambling are committing a Class A misdemeanor punishable with up to 12 months in prison.

As the table shows, most forms of gambling are illegal in Kentucky. If players want to bet on the lottery, DFS and horse race betting, they must be over the age of 18 years old. This also includes wagering at racino slot machines, which in many states requires players to be over the age of 21.

Quite surprisingly, the recently-failed Kentucky sports betting bill would also allow bettors 18 years and over to bet. This is likely because the games will be run by the Kentucky Lottery, and any differences in age requirements may cause confusion with retailers and customers.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in Kentucky?

We are quite confident that in due course, lawmakers will come to an agreement surrounding sports betting in Kentucky. As has been proven for decades with its thriving horse racing industry, Kentuckians clearly love to wager on sports, so it makes sense to introduce more wagering options.

If this happens, Kentucky will join a growing list of legal sport betting states that offer their constituents a safe and fair sportsbook. Until a bill is passed, players can only legally place bets at neighboring states to be certain that they are not breaking any laws and are playing a fair product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you still confused about whether there is a Kentucky legal online sportsbook or if sports betting in the state is legal? In this section, we have answered a number of questions that are commonly asked about Kentucky and its gambling laws.