Skip to main content

Top Sports Betting Sites Coming to Kentucky in September

Perry Sandra

Updated on August 23, 2023 at 2:55 PM EDT • Read time: 2 minutes and 23 seconds. Links to Twitter and Google News.

Kentucky Wildcats mascot on the court in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans Spartans during the Champions Classic as we look at the Kentucky legal sports betting scene.
Kentucky Wildcats mascot on the court in the game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans Spartans during the Champions Classic. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images via AFP.

Regulators in America’s newest legal sports betting jurisdiction are quickly advancing towards the launch of Kentucky sports betting.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has been diligently reviewing applications in preparation for the launch of retail sports betting on September 7th and the official launch of Kentucky sports betting apps on September 28th.

The Commission began to give identity to their sports betting industry on Tuesday by unanimously approving eight temporary sports betting licenses.

Every license for the 37th legal sports betting state in America will be associated with one of nine licensed racetracks in Kentucky. Each track will have three licenses, potentially allowing for up to 27 sports betting providers to operate in the state once the platform reaches full maturity.

Monitor Kentucky sportsbook promotions once they launch.

The successful applicants

On March 31, 2023, Gov. Andy Beshear signed the Kentucky sports betting bill, which officially became law on June 28. The naming of the first eight successful applicants has been quick, with the list of top sports betting apps containing expected names.

The sportsbook licenses currently in place are temporary, but once they meet their obligations in the state, which is highly likely, permanent licenses will be issued soon.

Kentuckians can anticipate:

  • DraftKings
  • FanDuel
  • BetMGM Kentucky
  • Caesars
  • bet365
  • Circa
  • PENN Sports Interactive (ESPN BET)
  • Fanatics Underscoreg

It is worth mentioning that two of the most recent top sportsbooks in the expansive U.S. market, ESPN Bet and Fanatics Underscoreg, will be available for immediate launch in the Kentucky market.

The featured racetracks

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has issued temporary sports betting licenses to seven out of the nine licensed racetracks in the Bluegrass State. In order to participate in the legal sports betting market in Kentucky, any mobile provider must have an agreement with one of the state’s nine tracks.

They include:

  • Churchill Downs, Louisville
  • Cumberland Run, which is coming to Corbin
  • Ellis Park, Henderson
  • Oak Grove Gaming and Racing, Oak Grove
  • Sandy’s Gaming and Racing, which is in the works at Ashland
  • The Red Mile, Lexington
  • Turfway Park, Florence

So far…

Several partnerships have been established in anticipation of the imminent launch of legal sports betting in Kentucky.

They include:

  • FanDuel/Churchill Downs
  • Caesars/Keeneland and The Red Mile
  • BetMGM/Sandy’s Gaming and Racing

…and the latest collaboration revealed on Tuesday:

  • DraftKings/Mint Gaming Hall at Cumberland and Cumberland Run

What’s at stake?

Kentucky, known for hosting one of the most popular annual sporting events in the U.S., has finally legalized sports betting. This means that residents can now place bets on their favorite college sports teams and other major events such as the Super Bowl.

The launch of legal sports betting for online sports betting sites in the state was strategically timed to coincide with the start of the NFL season. This goal was achieved with the recent announcements made on Tuesday.

Not only are sports fans in the Bluegrass State reaping the benefits of a legal sports betting platform, but all citizens are also seeing advantages. And it’s not just the big-name providers coming to town.

According to the regulations, retail sector businesses will be subject to a 9.75% tax, while online operators will face a 14.25% tax. Each track must pay a licensing fee of $500,000, and each operator must pay a $50,000 fee.

Analysts predict that a yearly cash infusion of $23 million will be directed towards state and local tax coffers, benefiting programs such as Kentucky’s public pension program and problem gambling initiatives.

Legal sports betting has now become a reality in Kentucky, with top industry leaders prepared to compete for dominance in the market.

Written By:
Perry Sandra
Perry Sandra and betting go hand-in-hand. Both are characterized by “odds”. Dave fancies himself as one of the most dedicated sports and pop-culture junkies around, to the chagrin of his family and friends. Following sports for 50 years and writing about it for 20, Dave hasn’t found a sport yet that can’t contribute to 2-3 straight hours of couch time. That search remains ongoing. As a good old Canadian boy, hockey is in Dave’s heart, as is curling sadly. But evolution is a real thing and that’s why football, baseball, and just about every sport on the planet has become a passion. Dave isn’t afraid to kill some time obsessing over politics or the far-too-frequent awards shows the consume the airwaves.