Kentucky Governor outlines key dates for sports betting market opening
Gov. Andy Beshear confirms timeline of key dates as online operators able to offer betting from September 28
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has detailed the key dates for Kentucky’s sports betting launch, with in-person retail sports betting opening on September 7 at 10am.
The first date for sports bettors’ diaries is August 22, when a full list of approved retail facilities and mobile operators will be released following the conclusion of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) meeting.
Earlier this month, Governor Beshear announced which retail facilities and operators had applied for a Kentucky license, which included FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, and Circa.
On August 28, Kentucky residents will be able to pre-register for an account with approved mobile operators. The Commonwealth said this was to ease the stress on the system, which could happen when too many people try and register simultaneously.
Following that, two events are happening on September 7. The first is that at 6am when users can deposit money into those pre-registered accounts. Four hours later, at 10am, bettors will be able to place an in-person bet at licensed facilities.
Lastly, on September 28, approved mobile operators will be able to take bets from players.
The Bluegrass State said the reason for this phased implementation was because of the success of a similar roll out in other states, while allowing for the testing of policies and procedures before the full rollout.
Governor Beshear said: “The countdown is on. We are just three weeks away from sports wagering in Kentucky. We are ready to deliver the quality entertainment experience Kentuckians asked for while bringing money to the state to support pensions and free up funds that can be used to build a better Kentucky.”
Jonathan Rabinowitz, chairman of the KHRC, added: “The KHRC is excited to open sports wagering and is working efficiently to meet the necessary deadlines. This is a careful process dedicated to wagering integrity and protecting bettors in the state of Kentucky.”