Kentucky Reports Huge 1st Day of Mobile Sports Betting

Wildcat, the mascot of the Kentucky Wildcats pumps up the crowd as we look into the results from Day 1 of mobile sports betting in Kentucky. — Wildcat, the mascot of the Kentucky Wildcats pumps up the crowd in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium on September 23, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images via AFP.

Last week, GeoComply, the leading provider of geolocation and compliance technology, addressed all doubts and inquiries regarding the feasibility of Kentucky sports betting apps with data they released.

On Thursday, September 28, mobile sports betting became available in Kentucky, coinciding with the start of NFL Week 4. The geolocation transactions on the first day of operation suggest that the mobile sports betting market in the Bluegrass State has the potential to be very promising.

What the geolocation numbers revealed

The GeoComply data validated the expectations surrounding the forthcoming Kentucky mobile sports betting industry, indicating a high level of anticipated betting activity and strong support from the local community for the long-awaited online sports wagering platform.

GeoComply, a solutions company headquartered in Vancouver, reported a remarkable 2.020 million geolocation checks during the initial 24 hours of legal mobile sports betting in Kentucky on Thursday. Nearly 200,000 active mobile sports betting accounts participated in the wagering activity on the first day, either through pre-registration or signing up on the same day.

How the stats were compiled

Seven out of the eight licensed sportsbooks in Kentucky went live on Thursday, immediately attracting a high volume of bets. Geolocation data showed that these seven providers were active on the first day, with only Circa Underscoreg failing to launch. The top seven Kentucky sports betting apps that went live on Day 1 were:

GeoComply gathered data on the initial 24 hours of legalized mobile betting in Kentucky from users of Kentucky sports betting applications, including tracking and final statistics.

Registering a Kentucky sports betting apps account
Logging in to a Kentucky sportsbook
Logging back in
Placing a bet with a Kentucky sports betting app

Building on a strong retail start

On September 7, Kentucky launched its sports betting market with retail sports betting seeing impressive numbers in its initial two weeks. This made Kentucky the 35th state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to legalize sports wagering.

Regulators in Kentucky have reported that over $4.5 million in bets were placed with the state’s retail providers during the first two weeks of operation.

When the retail figures were released, Gov. Andy Beshear stated that he anticipated a significant increase in numbers due to the start of college football and the NFL season, as well as the launch of mobile wagering. He noted that the strong number reflected the enthusiasm of Kentuckians for the introduction of sports wagering.

The amount of betting in states like Arizona and Kansas exceeded expectations, with Kentucky seeing nearly double the amount of betting compared to Louisiana in the first 24 hours of launching mobile sports betting.

Looking ahead

The Kentucky legal sports betting industry is expected to expand as Governor Beshear anticipated, supported by attractive promotions for new users offered by Kentucky sportsbooks. Currently, only eight out of 27 potential licenses have been granted, with seven top sportsbooks already operating.

In the upcoming months, Kentucky’s nine licensed horse racing tracks will be actively seeking partners for Kentucky sports betting apps, while the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will be working on expanding the state’s sports wagering market. Each track is allowed 3 “skins” for partnerships.

In the future, legalized sports betting websites are expected to significantly boost state and local tax revenues. Estimates suggest that a fully developed legal sports betting industry in the Bluegrass State could bring in around $23 million in taxes.

Governor Andy Beshear announced on Thursday that sports betting has been a success in Kentucky, with over $4.5 million already wagered. He emphasized that this means the money stays in the state, benefiting the people of Kentucky. Beshear encouraged responsible betting and highlighted the positive impact these funds will have on the community.

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.