Lawmakers File Kentucky Gambling Expansion Bills
Kentucky is the unofficial horse racing capital of the world. As the 2019 legislative session starts, state lawmakers filed several Kentucky gambling expansion bills. Among the topics tackled by the bills include online poker, sports betting, and casino gambling.
Some of the bills came from the nine-member panel made last year to investigate sports betting. They studied the industry and found answers to various questions, such as what is a bookie pay per head, among others. As a result, there are many competing proposals about it.
Kentucky Gambling Expansion Bills on Sports Betting
Senator Julian Carroll filed the S 23 that will make sports betting legal in the state. It will allow the Kentucky Lottery Corporation, horse racing venues, and other locations to accept sports betting. Also, the bill will create a Kentucky Gaming Commission to supervise the activity, according to gambling news reports.
H 12 is a competing bill that will place sports betting under the KLC, which will create rules governing the activity. However, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and its racetracks will not be part of the sports betting industry.
H 171 wants to remove 12 words from existing law to make sports betting legal in the state. Passage of the proposed bill will allow the KLC to accept bets on professional sports events. However, betting on amateur matches will still be illegal.
Kentucky gambling expansion bills also tackled online poker. H 175 proposed the legalization of card games and fantasy contests. Online poker sites can get a license from the KLC that will allow them to offer their games in the state.
H 190 will allow up to four casinos in Kentucky. Each casino will have table games and slot machines. In addition, the bill will allow slot machines in licensed horse racing venues in the state.
The casino bill will also make sports betting legal. Once passed, counties can hold referendums to determine if residents want to host a casino or not. The KLC will oversee the casinos and sports betting services, including PPH bookie solution.
