We are just three weeks away from sports wagering in Kentucky. We are ready to deliver the quality entertainment experience Kentuckians asked for while bringing money to the state to support pensions and free up funds that can be used to build a better Kentucky.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced Thursday that players will be able to pre-register for mobile sports betting in Kentucky beginning on August 28.
The governor’s office added that sports betting regulator, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), would release a list of approved retail and mobile sportsbooks after its meeting on Tuesday, August 22.
Retail sportsbooks have been cleared to launch on September 7, while mobile sportsbooks can start their operations on September 28.
“The countdown is on,” the Democratic governor said. “We are just three weeks away from sports wagering in Kentucky. We are ready to deliver the quality entertainment experience Kentuckians asked for while bringing money to the state to support pensions and free up funds that can be used to build a better Kentucky.”
In a video address to Kentuckians on YouTube, the governor said that additional information “about which online apps and other services have been approved so that you will know who is ready, where you can go on August 28, and any updates that come after that.
“[We’re] three weeks away. Many said it would never happen, and guess what? We got it done.”
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Key Moments Coming Up
According to the governor’s office, there are four dates and five times that Kentuckians interested in sports betting should be aware of:
- August 22, 1:30 pm ET — KHRC meets to vote on license applications, making a final determination of which retail and mobile applications are approved for launch in Kentucky
- August 28, 6 am ET — Kentuckians can pre-register with a mobile sportsbook
- September 7, 6 am ET — Sports bettors will be allowed to deposit money into pre-registered accounts
- September 7, 10 am ET — Wagers can be placed in-person at retail sportsbooks
- September 28, 6 am ET — Approved mobile sportsbooks can begin accepting wagers
“Kentucky chose a tiered implementation, which has been used in multiple states and which allows for testing of policies and procedures before the full rollout that includes mobile applications,” the governor’s office said.
Under the Kentucky sports betting bill signed by Beshear in March, seven horse racetracks and at least two other entities in the state are allowed to operate up to three skins for mobile sports betting — meaning there could be up to 27 sportsbooks in the state. Retail sports betting will be taxed at a rate of 9.75%, while online sports betting will be taxed at 14.25%.
The governor’s office added that sports betting in Kentucky is expected to generate an estimated $23 million annually upon full implementation. That money will be dedicated to the Kentucky permanent pension fund, with 2.5% earmarked for a problem gambling account.
That account, the Kentucky Problem Gambling Assistance, will be administered by the director of the Division of Behavioral Health, which is part of the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities. The department is under the direction of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
“The KHRC is excited to open sports wagering and is working efficiently to meet the necessary deadlines,” said KHRC Chairman Jonathan Rabinowitz. “This is a careful process dedicated to wagering integrity and protecting bettors in the state of Kentucky.”
