Kentucky targeting early July for first sports betting regulations
Horse Racing Commission to post drafts of rules and regs on website in coming weeks
Kentucky’s sports betting law doesn’t take effect until June 28 but regulators have already hit the ground running, as Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) chair Jonathan Rabinowitz announced on June 20 that his department is targeting early July for the state’s first sports betting regulations.
The KHRC is in the midst of drafting rules and regulations for both retail and mobile sportsbooks – a process that has included consultation with regulators from New Jersey, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Ohio – and intends to schedule a session for early next month to review and approve them.
Rabinowitz said the goal is to draft “clear and concise” regulations, adding the commission “will continue to provide updates on the progress as available.”
“Needless to say this is an exciting time in the commonwealth,” Rabinowitz added.
The KHRC appears to be practicing due diligence in all respects; in addition to seeking the input of regulator stakeholders from a handful of key sports betting states in the US, the commission has also brought on Gaming Labs International (GLI) in a consulting capacity.
According to Kentucky’s sports betting law, the KHRC has six months from June 28 to implement sports betting – a timeline that figures to be well within range given its current progress.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and leading lawmakers have voiced optimism in regards to retail wagering beginning in time for the start of the 2023 NFL season in early September, although the introduction of mobile betting would likely take an additional few months.
Kentucky’s nine racetracks, headlined by Churchill Downs, will serve as the primary license holders under the state’s sports betting law, with each permitted to partner with up to three online skins.
Rabinowitz, who noted the commission is in the process of hiring 14 new positions to prepare for the rollout of sports betting, said drafts of rules and regulations should be posted on the KHRC website in the coming weeks.