Casino Gambling In Ky
- Horseracing (1783), Lottery (1988), Historical Racing (2010)
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- Kentucky does not have a smoking ban
- Off-track betting
- Casino Gambling In Ky Homes For Sale
- Casinos In Kentucky
- Casino Gambling In Louisville Ky
- Casino Gambling In Ky
- Casino Gambling In Ky Counties
Kentucky is considered the home of horse racing in the U.S. The Kentucky Derby, one of the best-known horse races in the world, is hosted at Churchill Downs in the state. Kentucky was home to the first known horse race in the country in 1783. The state has always accepted that its residents and tourists visit Bluegrass Country to take in the races and wager a few dollars.
Online casinos are currently illegal in the state, and in 2008 over 100 casino websites were seized by the state, which declared that they constituted illegal forms of gambling. We can’t recommend any Kentucky online casinos but will be on the lookout for any shifts in the state’s stance towards online gambling sites. Kentucky Casinos No Indian Casinos and No Commercial Casinos. Kentucky has limited gambling. State laws allow horse betting at race tracks, parimutuel off-track betting, a few video gaming centers, the Kentucky Lottery and charitable gaming. Two preconditions must be met before an Indian casino becomes a possibility in this state. The Franklin Kentucky Downs Casino is the only casino that we can find within the State’s territory even though they are other forms of gambling such as horse tracks. This casino features not less than 500 slot machines, simulcasting and “Horses Racing Jackpot”. Derby City Gaming is located on Poplar Level Road near the Watterson Expressway in Louisville, Kentucky offering 900 state-of-the-art historical racing machines (HRMs) - a combination of a slot machine.
While gambling on horses has always been embraced, it has not been quick to expand into Kentucky casinos. There is a state lottery in Kentucky. Instant racing, which are slot machines that display winning symbols based on past races, started appearing at racetracks earlier this decade. Kentucky racetracks may also offer off-track betting. Charities can offer games of chance with limited prizes and a number of events.
Paying Gambling Taxes in Kentucky
OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. Find out how you can report your gambling income to the IRS with our in-depth Gambling Taxes Guide. Learn which forms you have to fill out, how to report your winnings, as well as deduct losses.
Kentucky Casinos Map & Guide of Racetracks
- Ellis Park – Henderson
- Red Mile – Lexington
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Types of Kentucky Online Gambling
The only form of legal Kentucky online gambling is off-track betting on horses. These wagers may be placed on websites and apps belonging to companies like TVG, Twinspires, and BetAmerica. TwinSpires is based in Kentucky. It is owned by Churchill Downs.
Daily fantasy sites claim legality under Kentucky’s skill gaming laws. While the state attorney general and its legislature have not addressed daily fantasy sports, some sour gamblers have filed lawsuits against the companies in an attempt to recover losses through qui tam laws. These cases are still in the court system.
Online poker, casino, and sports betting sites are not legal in Kentucky. The state has filed its own qui tam lawsuits to recover losses for the state’s residents. One judgment against PokerStars compelled the site to pay Kentucky $870 million. That case is under appeal. The state also filed a lawsuit in an attempt to seize 141 domain names from gambling sites.
Types of Live Kentucky Gambling
- Slots: No
- Blackjack: No
- Poker: No
- Craps/Roulette: No
- Horses: Yes
- Lottery: Yes
There are three types of live Kentucky gambling available to residents. A state lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets. This includes interstate drawings. Popular games include Lucky for Life, Pick 3, Pick 4, 5 Card Cash, Powerball, and Mega Millions.
There are six Kentucky racetracks. All offer horse tracks. Greyhound racing is not legal in Kentucky. All six tracks offer off-track betting on horses.
Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park, and Red Mile offer a controversial form of gambling that is working its way through the court system. These two tracks offer instant racing machines. These devices are programmed with thousands of past horse races. Players put cash into the machine and make a wager. The machine pulls one of these historical races and displays the reels on the device to match a payout similar to what the event would have paid. These are described as historical racing machines. Some consider them to be slot machines because that is exactly how they look and feel. The only difference is how the position of the reels is determined.
There are currently no Kentucky casinos operating at the moment. There is legislation that racetracks are trying to pass so that they can legally offer more popular electronic casino games, like electronic blackjack and roulette. We may see the racetracks and Kentucky casinos legislation combine and form “racinos” that are already popular in other states.
Kentucky Gambling Laws
Kentucky gambling laws define gambling as,
“staking or risking something of value on the outcome of a contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device which is based upon an element of chance, in accord with an agreement or understanding that someone will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
It only exempts the state lottery, horse racing, and arguably, instant racing machines. Charities may operate bingo games and raffles.
Promoting gambling is a Class A misdemeanor or Class D felony, depending on the charges. The minimum gambling age in Kentucky is 18 years for lottery, racing, and instant racing bettors.
Where to Gamble in Kentucky
There are more than 1,000 lottery retailers in Kentucky. There are also dozens of charitable organizations that offer bingo and similar games to raise funds for nonprofit operations.
Outside of these options, there are only six Kentucky racetracks to gamble at. You might consider these racetracks to be Kentucky casinos, as they already have permission to offer racing machines, which are very similar to slot machines. This may be the start of new Kentucky gambling legislation.
You can look for the specific racetrack you want to wager at on our Kentucky casinos map and guide located above.
| Racetrack | Size | Address | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Churchill Downs – Louisville | No Instant Racing® | 700 Central Ave. | www.churchilldowns.com |
| Ellis Park Race Course – Henderson | 170 Instant Racing® Machines | 3300 US-41 | www.ellisparkracing.com |
| Keeneland – Lexington | No Instant Racing® | 4201 Versailles Rd. | www.keeneland.com |
| Kentucky Downs – Franklin | 500 Instant Racing® Machines | 5629 Nashville Rd. | www.kentuckydowns.com |
| The Red Mile – Lexington | 900 Instant Racing® Machines | 1200 Red Mile Rd. | www.redmileky.com |
| Turfway Park – Florence | No Instant Racing® | 7500 Turfway Rd. | www.turfway.com |
History of Kentucky Gambling
Horse racing dates back to 1783 in Kentucky. That is nine years before it became a state. The first organized racing venue was created in Louisville. It was called Elm Tree Gardens. Racing spread to Lexington in 1787 where horses competed in The Commons. Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, opened in 1883.
Kentucky did not regulate horse racing like it does today in its early years. It was simply impossible to control pari-mutuel pools and organize the tracks and horses centuries ago. It took until the early 1900’s for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to be created. Tracks have come and gone over the years. There are five in operation today. This makes Kentucky one of the most thriving states when it comes to horseracing.
The first legal lottery in Kentucky was held in 1792. It occurred in an attempt to fundraise for a church in Lexington. The Kentucky Lottery that exists today was created through a November 1988 constitutional referendum. The first ticket was sold in April 1989. The Kentucky Lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission modified its regulations to permit instant racing machines in 2010. These games mimic slot machines. The devices display slot symbols in a pattern to show the payout of a horse race based in the past. The exact race is never known. The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the racing commission had the authority to legalize these games. Anti-gambling groups are still fighting instant racing in the courts. Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park, and Red Mile offer instant racing, and can be considered to be the only Kentucky casinos operating today.
Kentucky has been the home of two disputes with offshore online gambling sites. In 2008, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear’s office initiated a lawsuit in an attempt to seize 141 domain names related to gambling. Major sites were included in the list. Big names like PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker, DoylesRoom and Cake Poker were among them. The case dragged out until 2014 when a state appeals court essentially quashed it. This case was the beginning of offshore gaming sites moving to domains that do not use the .com extension. Kentucky received a small settlement related to Black Friday due to this case before it ultimately failed.
PokerStars Debacle
Kentucky is also the venue where PokerStars was sued for $290 million for accepting players in the state. Government officials alleged that PokerStars operated illegally and should be compelled to pay the state for its residents’ gambling losses under qui tam laws. The alleged events occurred from 2006 to 2011.
These loss recovery laws permit anybody to recover illegal gambling losses if the loser does not act within six months. A lower court awarded the $290 million as well as treble damages, making the total judgment $870 million. The case is currently under appeal
PokerStars was owned by Rational Group at the time the lawsuit is based. It has since been acquired by Amaya Gaming. The new owners of PokerStars have vowed to fight the case or pursue the former owners if it ultimately loses the legal battle.
Kentucky Casinos & Gambling FAQ
Yes. Kentucky is considered the home of the horse racing industry in the country.
Yes. There are six race books in Kentucky.
The only form of online betting legal in Kentucky is off-track horse racing.
No, only horse racing.
Is smoking permitted in Kentucky race books and instant racing casinos?
Are casinos legal in Kentucky?
No, the closest thing to casinos in the state is instant racing machines. There are casinos in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The minimum Kentucky gambling age is 18 years for all legal forms of gambling, including lottery and racing bets.
Yes, the Kentucky Lottery sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.
Does the Kentucky Lottery sell tickets over the Internet?
Lottery sales are not permitted over the Internet.
Are online poker, casino or sports betting sites legal in Kentucky?
None of these types of websites are licensed to operate in Kentucky.
There is currently a court battle over alleged illegal online gambling where a lower court ruled PokerStars owes Kentucky $870 million. It is currently under appeal.
Casino Gambling In Ky Homes For Sale
When it comes to gambling in “The Bluegrass State,” your only options are topKentucky online casinos. With brick and mortar, the state only allows horse racing wagering and less than 1,000 slot machines state-wide. Thankfully, there are plenty of high-quality, safe, trusted Kentucky online casino sites. The recently updated chart below showcases the top options in your state offering real money betting action.| Rank | Online Casino | Key Info | Bonus Info | Visit Casino |
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What Factors Make These the Best Kentucky Online Casinos?
Climbing onto our recommended list of the top Kentucky online casino sites is not an easy task. Many have tried, and most have fallen short. Why? It’s because we’re extremely strict when it comes to rating and evaluating Kentucky online casinos.
We’ve made it our mission to only recommend the best of the best. We must stick to our guns to accomplish that mission.
For more insight into the process, let’s look at three of the most critical elements possessed by the top Kentucky online casino sites.
Casinos In Kentucky
Secure, Safe Gaming Platform
If you have to worry about your personal safety or the security of your money when gambling online, something is wrong. The most important assessment we make when determining the top Kentucky online casinos is whether or not they are safe.
Here are the critical questions we ask when choosing the top Kentucky casino sites:
- Do they place importance on safety and security?
- Are their servers and software regularly updated to patch holes and curb threats?
- Have they hired experts in the fields of safety, security, and fraud prevention?
- Are they using high-level encryption and SSL certificates properly?
- Have they selected trusted banking partners? Are they integrated properly?
- Do their internal company processes protect your money and information?
Casino Games Kentucky Gamblers Want
Determining the casino games Kentucky residents like is challenging. Why? Most Kentucky residents haven’t experienced much more than horse racing and a few slots due to strict brick and mortar legislation. For those that have ventured outside of the state lines, we’ve found a propensity to play blackjack, roulette, and craps.
You’ll find that all of the top Kentucky online casinos recommended here knock it out of the park with these three games. These preferences are important to us because we want to ensure you’re getting proper access to the games you want to play.
For those of you that like to play other games, we didn’t leave you out. All of the Kentucky online casinos we’ve recommended have a wide range of high-quality game options. So, if you like slot machines, keno, Let It Ride, bingo, or any other real money casino game, you’ll be squared away.
Top of the Line Quality
Our tolerance level for subpar quality Kentucky casinos is 0.0. There are zero acceptable excuses for not delivering the highest game quality, the best graphics and animations, and an overall experience that gets people excited.
We can confidently say that all the Kentucky online casino sites listed here are the best of the best.
Making our determinations is a long process consisting of testing, evaluating, and research. The structured process utilizes our quality control checklist, which we’ve attached below for your reference.
Quality Control Checklist for Online Casino Sites
| Routine game updates | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Classic games preserved | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Quality game graphics | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Seamless game animations | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Servers equipped to handle gaming volume | ✔️ or ❌ |
| Fair games | ✔️ or ❌ |
| 24/7/365 Customer service | ✔️ or ❌ |
Are Kentucky Online Casino Sites Legal?
The number of laws on the books in Kentucky stating online gambling is illegal is zero. Now, there also are no laws regulating online casinos or addressing the legality of it. But, in our opinion, that doesn’t matter to answer the question of whether Kentucky online casino sites are legal or not.
It’s our interpretation that online gambling in Kentucky is legal.
Does everyone interpret things as clearly as we do? No. Many legal fanatics feel without proper regulation or legal framework, playing at Kentucky online casinos is illegal. But that argument does not hold water. Statutory regulation is not a requirement for something to be legal. The legal requirement is that it breaks no laws.
Casino Gambling In Louisville Ky
Are there any KY laws regulating the use of bongo drums? No. Are there any KY laws that state the use of bongo drums is legal? No. So, are bongo drums illegal? No. This simple analogy demonstrates the counterargument commonly used is invalid.
Future Predictions for Kentucky Online Casinos
We predict the legal landscape for Kentucky gambling sites to remain at the status quo for the foreseeable future. We have seen some proposed bills for online gambling moving through the state, but no concrete decisions just yet. These attempts are a good indicator which normally would lead us to predict positive movement for Kentucky online casinos. But the reason we are hesitant to do so is because of the state’s stance on brick and mortar gambling.
Usually, there is a natural progression states follow, with brick and mortar gambling leading the charge followed by online gambling.
Thankfully, there are no laws in KY labeling online casino play as illegal. So, even though it would be nice to see further regulation, we can deal with the current climate. You won’t be gambling in person in KY anytime soon, but you can still get action at plenty of Kentucky online casino sites.
Laws Surrounding Land-Based Casino Operations in Kentucky
Kentucky takes home the blue ribbon for possessing one of the strictest stances in the country towards brick and mortar gambling. Unless it’s horse racing or a few select slot providers, it’s banned in the state. Even though federal law allows for Indian casinos on tribal land, there are none in Kentucky.
Their definition of gambling is “Staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest or game based upon an element of chance.”
Sadly, we don’t have better news about the brick and mortar laws in the state. The future for in-person gambling in KY does not show any signs of improvement anytime soon. While we hope we are wrong, all indicators point to a continuation of the status quo for the foreseeable future. Your two options are to stick to horseracing betting and limited slots or check out a few of the best Kentucky online casinos.
Kentucky Online Casinos FAQ
Casino Gambling In Ky
Yes! As long as you follow a few simple safety guidelines, the top Kentucky online casinos are 100% safe:– Only gamble with trusted Kentucky gambling sites
– Never wager when you’re intoxicated, confused, or emotional
– Don’t bet more money than you’re okay with losing
– Keep your computer updated (antivirus and system updates)
– Never log into your account from a shared computer or device