FRANKFORT, Ky. — Here is a time frame of key dates including that betting will officially start at 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 7, for in-person bets at licensed retail facilities.
A list of approved retail facilities and mobile applications will be released on Aug. 22, following the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) meeting.
Sports Betting Timeline:
- Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 1:30 p.m. EDT: KHRC will meet to vote on license applications. This vote will determine which retail facilities and mobile applications will be approved for use in Kentucky.
- Monday, Aug. 28, at 6 a.m. EDT: Kentuckians can pre-register an account with approved mobile applications. Allowing pre-registration eases strains on electronic systems that can sometimes happen when many people try to register at once.
- Thursday, Sept. 7, at 10 a.m. EDT: Wagerers can place an in-person bet at licensed retail facilities.
- Thursday, Sept. 7, at 6 a.m. EDT: Wagerers can only deposit money into their pre-registered account with approved mobile applications.
- Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6 a.m. EDT: Approved mobile applications can start taking wagers.
Kentucky chose a tiered implementation, which has been used in multiple states and allows for the testing of policies and procedures before the full rollout that includes mobile applications.
Sports betting will generate an estimated revenue increase of $23 million a year upon full implementation that, will be dedicated to the Kentucky permanent pension fund and 2.5% to the problem gambling assistance account. The bill also established a new excise tax on sports wagering: 9.75% on the adjusted gross revenues made at a licensed facility and 14.25% on wagers placed online or on a smartphone.
For more information about sports wagering in Kentucky, visit KHRC.ky.gov.
