Kentucky Gambling & Lottery Laws Not all states allow gambling or run an official state lottery, although an increasing number of states are doing so as a way to raise revenue. The state of Kentucky, famous for its history of thoroughbred racing, has a robust system. Read below for a breakdown of other states to see the latest law updates. LetsGambleUSA.com focuses primarily on the state laws applicable to lotteries, social gambling and illegal, unlicensed casino-style, or professional, gambling. Legalized gaming, where dealt with, is covered in a more summary form.
Kentucky is not a gambling-friendly state by any means. Actually, it could have some of the strictest laws around gambling in the entire country.
That being said, Kentucky does have minimal options for those looking to press their luck, including the famously known Kentucky Derby.
Horse racing is legal in the Bluegrass State, as well as the state lottery.
Is online gambling in the future of Kentucky? And how did the state become so strict towards gambling in the first place? We break it down and more in our Kentucky gambling guide below.
Online Casinos in Kentucky
Although Kentucky has a long tradition with horse racing, it has not legalized casinos (online or otherwise).
There have been limited discussions of legalizing online casinos, but it seems unlikely that we'll see online casinos offered there in the foreseeable future.
Kentucky does have a state lottery, which can indicate an openness to other forms of betting.
The nearest online casinos will be in West Virginia, which has already approved legislation. Tennessee has recently approved online sports betting.
But, you can still register with a legal online casino while you're in Kentucky.
That means you can get the casino's bonus offers or deposit, and then play whenever you're in states where it's legal (even in a layover at the airport). (Do be aware of the casinobonus's expiry date, though.)
The only forms of legal online gambling in the state include the lottery and pari-mutuel betting.
Land-Based Casinos in Kentucky
The most common type of gambling offered is pari-mutuel betting on thoroughbred horse racing at the 10 racetracks located throughout the state.
The most famous horse race offered in the state is the Kentucky Derby, which has been run annually since 1875.
The Kentucky Derby is always run at Churchill Downs on the first Sunday in May.
A festival is also held each year for two weeks before the race in Louisville, where the track is located. Louisville is also the state's largest city.
There are three racetrack casinos in Kentucky that offer some form of casino gambling. There are no traditional slot machines in Kentucky casinos. Instead, they all offer instant racing bettingmachines.
While these machines may appear to be regular slot machines, they are actually gaming machines that are based on unidentified past horse races and the spinning reels shown on the machinesare for entertainment purposes only.
Those instant racing machines are the only types of casino gambling offered in Kentucky casinos. You will not find any table games offered at the casinos in Kentucky.
Types of Casinos in Kentucky
There are no traditional casinos in Kentucky.
Residents have numerous racetracks to choose from, as explained above.
List of Racetracks in Kentucky
Click on any of the race tracks below to learn more about them.
Derby City Gaming
- 4520 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213
- +1 502-961-7600
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Kentucky Downs Casino Franklin Kentucky
Ellis Park
- 3300 US-41, Henderson, KY 42420
- +1 812-425-1456
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Kentucky Downs
- 5629 Nashville Rd, Franklin, KY 42134
- +1 270-586-7778
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Red Mile
- 1200 Red Mile Rd, Lexington, KY 40504
- +1 859-255-0752
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Kentucky Gambling Laws
Churchill Downs
- 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208
- +1 502-636-4400
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
- Hosts the Kentucky Derby
Turfway Park
- 7500 Turfway Rd, Florence, KY 41042
- +1 859-371-0200
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Keeneland
- 4201 Versailles Rd, Lexington, KY 40510
- +1 859-254-3412
- Games: Instant racing betting machines
Kentucky Land-Based Casinos Map
Map
You can easily see all casino locations by using our Kentucky casinos map. To zoom in, just click the + (plus) sign in the lower right corner of the map, or to zoom out, just clickthe – (minus) sign in the same area.
To move the map of casinos in Kentucky, click and hold down either of your mouse buttons. Then use the hand icon to drag the map in whichever direction you desire.
Each of the red icons on the map is a casino location. Just click on any red icon to see the name of the casino at that location. If you want more information on that casino, simply click againon the casino’s name and it will direct you to another page with detailed information on that particular casino, including address, phone number, toll-free phone number, room rates, casinosize, dining information, games offered, availability of discounts for seniors, any special features, and a direct link to that casino’s website.
History of Gambling in Kentucky
While many of the horse racing tracks have been in business since 1875, gambling only really began in Kentucky in the 1920s. This is mainly due to the fact that the race tracks did not wantanything to do with gambling for a long time.
When pari-mutuel betting debuted in the 1920s, horse racing became extremely popular in the state. Multiple racinos began operating and residents could now start placing wagers on the KentuckyDerby.
It was only in the 1980s when more forms of gambling were legalized, and the lottery was introduced.
In 1992, charitable bingo games were also deemed legal in KY.
In recent years, most forms of gambling remain illegal in the state with few discussions on trying to change the current laws.
The Kentucky Derby remains the most popular race in perhaps the country.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby has a rich history behind it, dating back all the way to 1872. A gentleman by the name of Meriwether Lewis Clark (grandson of William Clark from Lewis & Clark pair) tooka trip to the United Kingdom and watched the Epson Derby.
He enjoyed the race so much, he decided to start one himself when he returned to the United States.
Clark was able to build a large track on land his uncles John and Henry Churchill gave him and formed the Louisville Jockey Club.
The first race was held on May 17th, 1875, and featured 15 thoroughbred horses. Over 10,000 people came to watch the event.
Of course, the Kentucky Derby today is not the same race it was back in the 1800s. However, centuries later, and the event is still the most popular race in America.
You can read more about the timeline of the Kentucky Derby, here.
Kentucky Gambling Laws and Regulatory Organizations
The gambling laws in KY are very strict and will go so far as to press charges against those who are caught participating in any forms of illegal gambling.
This includes online and social gaming.
Bills have been brought to the state in an effort to relax some of the laws around gambling, like allowing slot games, but have all been shot down.
The Department of Charitable Gaming sees over all charity games in the state, including raffles and bingo, and distributes the licenses.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission works with the state to regulate all pari-mutuelbetting and racing in KY.
Gambling in Kentucky Today
Residents of Kentucky today have pari-mutuel betting, the lottery, and bingo as options for legal gambling.
It's unlikely online casinos will be legalized in Kentucky any time soon, but gamblers can look forward to the Kentucky Derby every year.
If you find yourself in court due to illegal gambling, you can try and argue that you're just a player as the laws seem to be much harder and stricter on operators.
Fun Facts
Did you know?
In 2017, the Kentucky Derby raked in almost $1 Billion in wagers!
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For more information on visiting the casinos in Kentucky, call the Kentucky Department of Tourism at (800) 225-8747, or visit their website at https://www.kentuckytourism.com/.