Kentucky Online Casinos

The state of Kentucky defines gambling as “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest or game based upon an element of chance.” The gambling laws in Kentucky are as strict as they can get.

Among the fifty states, Kentucky is one of the most restrictive ones when gambling is in question. Due to that, there are no land-based casinos in this state.

A large number of Kentucky residents travel to other states where land-based casinos are legal, such as Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana. Casino aficionados can relax there and enjoy the thrill of land-based casinos.

Kentucky is home to one of the most popular horse racing events in the world — the Kentucky Derby. That is the perfect opportunity and, according to some, a birthright for sports fans to experience pari-mutuel betting. Any other form of gambling in Kentucky isn’t allowed.

There were numerous attempts and bills to introduce casinos in this area, but they have all been futile. We don’t want to jump the gun and say there will certainly be online casinos in the future in this state. For now, we are hoping to see some land-based options in the Bluegrass State.

However, all is not lost. There are still some online options for casino fans. Keep reading our review to find out how you can play your favorite online casino games in Kentucky.

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Is Online Gambling Legal in Kentucky?

Throughout history, the state of Kentucky was a politically conservative state, which extended to other aspects, namely gambling. Even though this state isn’t home to any land-based casinos, they aren’t explicitly restrictive when online casinos are in question.

While there are currently no online casinos, there is nothing in the law that prohibits other online casinos from offering their services to Kentucky players. On the one hand, there is no law prohibiting online casinos, but on the other hand, there is no governing body that can regulate this industry. Kentucky is in the gray zone when it comes to laws and regulations of online gaming platforms.

However, there is one big exception in the whole story. Some states have managed to allow gambling only if it has a function of the state lottery. Luckily, Kentucky was able to pull off something similar related to horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering.

So, there is a form of online gambling that’s legal in Kentucky — Twin Spires, a website operated by Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby takes place every year. This website allows residents to place bets on horse racing events online. Additionally, Twin Spires is available on mobile devices, which makes wagering pretty convenient.

What’s more, residents of the Bluegrass State can partake in the state lottery online. There is a state lottery website where residents can play on multi-state drawings. The lottery is quite popular in Kentucky — in 2018, it reached one billion in sales!

We were rather shocked to see that there were two online gambling options for players in Kentucky — a state with no casinos.

Offshore Casinos

While there are no legalized online casinos in the state, there are still other casino operators that offer their services to Kentucky residents. They are the so-called offshore casinos that usually operate outside the US, meaning that the Kentucky Law Enforcement has no jurisdiction over them.

There are some conflicting opinions on whether offshore casinos are legal or not. But, since there is no proper legal framework stating offshore casinos are illegal, we think they are your best choice if you want a good casino experience.

However, due to one complicated lawsuit between the state of Kentucky and PokerStars, which ended badly, big names in the online casino industry simply refuse to conduct any business there. Luckily, there are still plenty of options for you to choose from.

These casinos have the most amazing casino games. Most of them accept players from the US. Of course, you should see whether they have proper licensing before you start playing. You can have fun in an online casino and be well-protected at the same time.

Future of Online Gambling in Kentucky

Seeing how restrictive Kentucky is compared to other US states, it’s difficult to predict whether online gambling will get its legal framework soon (or ever). We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. This state has a long way to go before we can even compare it to others that have already opened their doors to online gambling platforms.

The closest Kentucky ever came to legalizing and regulating online gambling was when they introduced iLottery sales that can be conducted online. For online gambling sites to appear in Kentucky, the state needs to accept land-based casinos first.

Given the fact that the state won’t be opening any casinos in the foreseeable future, we can’t say that the fate of online casinos is bright in the Bluegrass State.

However, we can’t overlook the fact that there is one online platform for placing horse racing bets. Thinking of an overall gambling landscape, it’s not much, but it is the first step in establishing online gambling. We still have a tiny bit of hope that the state will recognize the potential of online gambling someday.

Kentucky Land-Based Casino Options

The state of Kentucky isn’t home to any land-based casinos. There are no options for playing a game of poker or blackjack or potentially hitting a jackpot in this state. Also, no racetracks are authorized to offer slot machines, table games or video poker.

What Kentucky is famous for is horse racing — there are six operating racetracks in the state:

• Churchill Downs
• Kentucky Downs
• Keeneland
• Ellis Park
• Turfway Park
• The Red Mile

They host various horse racing events, with the most famous one being the Kentucky Derby, the first race of the Triple Crown.

Even though there are no land-based casinos in the state, Kentucky residents can still experience a real casino — all they have to do is go on a road trip to some of the neighboring states. Once they cross the state’s borders, they can relax and fully enjoy all casino games they can think of.

Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino, Belterra Casino Resorts, and Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in West Virginia, Rocky Gap Casino in Maryland, and Rivers Casino in Pennsylvania are very important for Kentucky players.

As you can see, saying that there are zero options for Kentucky casino enthusiasts would be a lie. Of course, compared to the situation in other states, gambling does require more planning and effort, but you can still enjoy a game of poker, roulette, or slot machines.

At the moment, Kentucky doesn’t have any online casinos operating in the state. Even though it’s among the most restrictive states in the US, there are two forms of online gambling you can participate in — online horse racing via Twin Spires and the state’s national lottery. However, you can always choose offshore casinos that accept players from Kentucky.

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