Is Sports Betting Legal in Kentucky? Updated: December 2024

Understanding the KY gambling laws

It’s important to note that while all forms of casino gaming are illegal in KY, sports gambling is legal in Kentucky. Plus for a long time, pari mutuel horse racing betting was the only form of gambling in the Bluegrass State. This meant that a lot of people were wondering when sports betting would be legal in Kentucky, especially as neighboring states such as Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia had already passed sports betting legislation.

Thankfully, sports fans in KY don’t have too long to wait. This is because the bill HB 551 was passed early in 2023 which paved the way for the legalization of sports betting in the state.

As a result sports betting is legal in Kentucky as of September 7, 2023. This can only be done at one of the retail sportsbooks that is officially licensed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

However, the best part is that online betting is legal in Kentucky as of 6am on September 28, 2023. This means that there is the potential for anywhere up to 27 legal online sportsbooks to operate in KY giving sports fans the freedom to bet from anywhere within the state.

Who can bet on sports in Kentucky?

While sports betting is legal in Kentucky, there are strict laws about who can enjoy this form of gambling. This means that you will have to be at least 18 years old to bet on sport. Plus it’s worth noting that some online sportsbooks in KY will require you to be at least 21 years old and you’ll be expected to prove this by providing some form of government-issued ID.

You will also only be able to use these sportsbook apps from somewhere within the Kentucky state borders. Each of these apps will contain geolocation software to ensure that you are only betting from within the Bluegrass State.

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What can you bet on in KY?

Not only can you bet on sports in Kentucky, but you can bet on a massive range of sports. These obviously cover all of the major US sports like baseball, basketball, football and hockey, but it also applies to everything from soccer and tennis to motor sports, golf and boxing.

What’s best is that you can also bet on college sports taking place within the state such as the basketball matches involving the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Just note that no form of betting on high school sports is permitted in KY.

Finding the best online sportsbooks in KY

Now that gambling is legal in Kentucky, you’ll probably be ready to try some sports betting. So we’ve prepared the following table that shows you the best legal sportsbook apps currently available in KY. This shows you handy information about what kinds of welcome offers you can get, along with who their retail partners are in case you want to place an in-person bet.

DraftKings - Market-leading online sportsbook

DraftKings: Pros & Cons

• $200 bonus bet pre-launch promo
• Great for live betting
• Enjoyable tournament betting
• Supremely competitive odds

• Can be intimidating for rookie bettors

Not only is DraftKings one of the biggest and most trusted sportsbooks in the US, but it’s also legal in KY. The brand has partnered up with Cumberland Run and is regulated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to give you a legal way to bet on sport.

This means that you can sign up to DraftKings and enjoy the brand’s excellent odds and its superior live betting platform. Plus DraftKings has even put on a generous pre-launch offer for KY that simply gives you $200 in bonus bets that you can use once mobile betting goes live on September 28.

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DraftKings Highlights

• Diverse sports book
• Generous promotions
• User-friendly betting platform

BetMGM - Heavyweight sports betting brand comes to KY

BetMGM: Pros & Cons

• Great Edit My Bet option
• Lots of odds boosts
• Generous promo offers
• Reliably strong odds

• Navigation can be tricky

There’s no denying that BetMGM is an excellent sportsbook and the operator has teamed up with Sandy’s Racing and Gaming to give you a legal way to bet on sports in KY. While we’re still awaiting details of the brand’s pre-launch promo, early signs are that it could give you plenty of bonus bets for making a qualifying deposit.

Elsewhere, you will find that the BetMGM sportsbook is packed with features that’ll take your sports betting up a level. These include plenty of enhanced odds offers as well as a flexible Edit My Bet function. A great choice for anyone looking for a little more control over how they bet.

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BetMGM Highlights

• Hundreds of betting markets for major events
• Live streaming offered
• Competitive odds

FanDuel - Enjoy an prelaunch bonus in KY

This is another massive sportsbook that has made the smart move to be there at the launch of legal sports betting in KY. FanDuel’s retail partner is Churchill Downs which is a real statement of intent, and the brand has put on an excellent pre-launch promo. This will give you $100 in bonus bets for signing up and you’ll also get $100 off your NFL Sunday Tickets on YouTube.

Everything else about FanDuel is as you’d expect from a premier sportsbook. This means getting endlessly competitive odds, an intuitively designed betting app, and cool features like same game parlays to add some interest to your betting.

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FanDuel Highlights

• Extensive range of sports
• Competitive odds
• Speedy sportsbook platform

Fanatics - One of the most exciting new online sportsbooks 

Fanatics: Pros & Cons

• Great FanCash rewards system
• Personalized betting pages
• Odds boosts available
• Jersey Drop promos

• Relatively new brand

Kentucky sports fans can look forward to one of the hottest new sportsbooks coming to the Bluegrass State when Fanatics goes live on September 28. This is a brand that’s already cracked the sports merchandise world and it looks equally good for betting on sport.

The brand’s app has already successfully launched in four other states, and it has teamed up with Oak Grove Racetrack to go legal in KY. You’ll love the cool features like the personalized betting pages, and the FanCash reward program offers you a great way to get vouchers to spend on bonus bets and merchandise. Watch this space to see what the Fanatics pre-launch bonus for Kentucky will be.

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BetFanatics Highlights

• Comprehensive sports coverage
• User-friendly sportsbook
• Competitive betting odds

Caesars - Trusted brand for online sports betting 

Caesars: Pros & Cons

• Excellent reward program
• Top sports betting promos
• Good betting odds
• Trusted betting brand

• App can be buggy

Everyone knows the Caesars brand and it’s great news that it’s bringing its sports betting app to Kentucky. This is being done as a result of its partnership with Red Mile Racing, and it basically means that you’ll be able to enjoy Caesars’ quality betting odds and exceptional reward program from anywhere within the Bluegrass State.

We’re still awaiting confirmation of what the Caesars pre-launch bonus for KY will be, but early signs are that it’s a deal that could give you a fair amount of bonus bets to play with. All of which gives you the perfect start once mobile betting goes live in KY on September 28.

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Caesars Highlights

• Full Caesar promo
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Bet365 - Innovative sportsbook launches in Kentucky

Bet365: Pros & Cons

• Amazing betting odds
• User-friendly website
• Lots of betting options
• Up to $50 touchdown pre-launch offer

• App navigation could be better

This is a relative newcomer to the sports betting scene in the US, but Bet365 has already successfully launched in a number of states, and there’s no reason why it can’t do the same right here in KY. After all, the UK-based brand is renowned for putting on some of the best odds on the market, and you’ll enjoy the full complement of betting lines for each sporting event too.

Perhaps the best reason to sign up to Bet365 KY is the fact that the brand has organized a great pre-launch promo. This will give you $10 for each touchdown scored on a nominated NFL game up to $50. Perfect for all of those KY football fans looking to celebrate the new season.

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How to enjoy legal sports betting in KY

Now that we’ve shown you some top Kentucky sportsbooks, you’ll be ready to get started. So here’s a step by step guide to how to take your first sports bets in the Bluegrass State:

1. Pick one of the KY sportsbooks from our shortlist
2. Download their app to your iOS or Android device
3. Register your account by providing your personal information
4. Verify your identity by submitting some form of photo ID
5. Claim your pre-launch bonus: You may have to enter a specific promo code to do this.
6. Make a deposit: You’ll usually be allowed to make deposits with cards, ewallets and ACH bank transfers.
7. Start betting: Now you can use your deposit to fund your sports bets. Just click on the odds that look good to you, enter your stake and submit your bet.

Conclusion - Enjoy legal sports gambling in Kentucky 

This guide has shown you that sports betting is legal in Kentucky and that it can be great fun too. After all, there are plenty of retail sportsbooks to choose from and there are a host of online betting apps that will be going live at the end of September 2023.

This means that you can now look forward to having the freedom to bet on a massive range of sporting events from your smartphone or tablet. Just remember to play responsibly and there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy lots of sports betting entertainment now that online sports betting is legal in Kentucky.

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Is sports betting legal in Kentucky? FAQ