Kentuckians are driving across state lines to gamble and giving neighboring states tax revenue that would otherwise go to their home state. Supporters argue Kentucky is missing an opportunity, and nearly all its neighbors are taking advantage. Many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle support expanding gaming. Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, leads the state. Heading into the mid-term elections, the GOP held supermajorities in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly - enjoying a 75-25 edge in the state House of Representatives and a 30-8 advantage in the state Senate. It’s a socially conservative state, and voters there identify more with the Republican political brand than the Democrats. Many Kentuckians would like to keep it that way. There are very few options available for Kentuckians who want to gamble - aside from the state lottery, horse racing, and historical horse racing machines at a handful of venues. Kentucky is not a gambling-friendly state. Most of Kentucky’s Neighbors Have Sports Betting If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800 GAMBLER. Should that pass, the state has seven horse racetracks, which would likely be the land-based access points for online poker. Kentucky could be the sixth US state with online poker, but its availability will probably need to adhere to the contours of plans for sports betting.

Real money online poker in the US is currently legal and in operation in five states - Delaware, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. And despite Kentucky’s conservative gravitas, the state could be forced to expand online gambling anyway because potential tax revenue will otherwise flow over its borders to neighboring states - some of them also trend conservative but seem to be okay with expanded gaming as well.

An attempt to legalize online poker and sports betting in KY fell just short of passing this year. Kentucky: A ruby red state that, while home to iconic Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, has proven tricky territory to expand gaming.īut attitudes in the Bluegrass State may be changing. We now turn to states that still need to pass igaming legislation, starting with one that has tried - and only narrowly failed - to move forward with online sports and poker legislation each year of the last three. So far, we have explored West Virginia and Connecticut, two states that have regulated online poker already - though key steps remain before we can expect an operator to go live. In this series, we will look at six states considered the most likely to offer regulated, legal online poker within the next year.

What states is online poker legal in