Another bill introduced to allow sports betting in Kentucky

The Kentucky General Assembly could soon be addressing another attempt to legalize sports betting.

Rep. Michael Meredith filed HB 551 on Friday. He said Kentucky residents are “placing bets today with illegal, unregulated offshore gaming entities, bookies, or by driving across state lines,” and as a result, Kentucky is getting no benefit while shouldering all costs.

HB 551 marks the fifth consecutive year a sports wagering bill has been filed in the statehouse, but optimism is high this could be the year for passage. Meredith’s bill has bipartisan support with six Democrats and five Republicans signed on as co-sponsors. HB 106, which was filed in January, is sponsored exclusively by Democrats, who hold just 20 of the 100 seats in the House.

A 2022 bill sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig progressed out of the House — the first time it moved forward — but did not receive a vote in the Senate. 

Proponents say recent polls show more than half of the Commonwealth’s population supports legalized sports wagering, which is already legal in some form in all but one of Kentucky's surrounding states; Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Missouri still bans sports betting.

HB 551 would require that online gaming providers be associated with a Kentucky horseracing track, while offering the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission regulatory responsibility over gaming companies. Sports wagering options would and could be provided through a licensed facility, an online source or through a mobile application.

Meredith’s proposal sets initial license fees at $500,000 for tracks, $50,000 for gaming providers, and annual renewals respectively set at $50,000 and $10,000.

The bill in its current form would allow wagering on professional and amateur sporting events, college sports, Olympics and World Cup Soccer, e-sports and other competitive video gaming events. It would not legalize online poker or betting on fantasy sports. 

It sets the minimum sports betting age at 18, and remains consistent with other age limit uses for other legal gaming actions such as horse race betting and purchasing Kentucky Lottery tickets.