Kentucky legal online gambling is available only through international betting sites operating outside of US jurisdiction. Here, we show you where to play!
When it comes to Kentucky, legal online gambling options are plentiful now that the state has legalized online and in-person sports gaming domestically.
Of course, if you live in KY, you can legally gamble online by using any legitimate international casino site, sportsbook, or poker room. There are no KY or USA laws barring access to these markets.
This brief guide will detail what options are locally available, the state's feeling toward legal Kentucky online gambling, and what online operators deserve your business if you wish to bet real money conveniently and safely from home.
Gambling Laws In Kentucky
Available state-based gambling options include the state lottery, charitable gaming (bingo, raffles, etc.), VLTs (video lottery terminals), historical horse racing (aka instant racing machines), pari-mutuel wagering on horses, and sports betting.
There are no casinos or poker rooms in Kentucky via brick-and-mortar or domestic online avenues. Domestic sports betting is now legal in the state for online, mobile, and retail venues at the age of 18.
Is Online Gambling Legal In Kentucky?
Here's the bottom line for any player wishing to participate in real-money online gambling in Kentucky: There are no state laws that make the act of betting online at legal international casinos or sporsbooks illegal. Thus, if you choose to play with these Internet-based sites, you are not breaking any laws as long as the sites are located outside of US borders. There are no federal laws that bar these activities, either.
#1 Rated Legal Online Gambling Site For USA Players
Bovada Casino & Sportsbook is the most popular online gambling site that accepts players from Kentucky. It's also one of the most trusted sites in the industry, so anyone who opens a new Bovada account can rest assured that they're playing at the most legitimate, legal gambling site available to KY players.
Bovada LV offers many different wagering options for all members, including a full-service sportsbook, a certified and audited RNG casino with hundreds of online slots and table games, a live dealer casino, an online poker room, an online horse betting racebook, and much more. All of these markets are available under a single-player account, and new members can claim up to $3750 in matching bonuses. Best of all, Bovada is open to all KY residents aged 18 and up!
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There are no casinos permitted within KY's borders. Kentucky is one of only a few states that specifically does not offer casino gambling in any capacity, whether commercial or tribal.
Is Online Casino Gambling Legal In Kentucky?
As mentioned above, the state does not offer land-based casinos nor does it have plans to launch any state-regulated online casino platforms. The only legal option for locals is to join a legitimate offshore casino service provider.
These online gambling sites hold all required credentials to operate legally, are regulated, and are located overseas in nations that already have legal online casinos. None of the gambling laws enforced by the state or federal government prohibits players living in or visiting the Bluegrass State from enjoying online casino games at websites that are legally operating and regulated outside of US borders.
Legal Kentucky Online Casinos
Below, we've listed the best online casinos that KY players can access. These mobile casino sites have been reviewed for strict regulatory compliance, robust game selections, cutting-edge security standards, valuable bonus offers, and rapid payout reliability – and they each pass every test!
Legal & Reputable Online Casinos
That Accept Kentucky Players
Kentucky has legalized sports gambling at in-person venues, sportsbooks at racetracks, online, and through mobile apps.
The minimum age to bet on sports at a domestic book is 18 years old, which matches the age requirement for betting on the horses at Churchill Downs.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Kentucky?
Kentucky has legalized domestic online sports betting within state borders. Despite this status, KY players aged 18+ can also legally bet on sports online via legitimate offshore sportsbooks.
There are no state laws or US laws that bar access to these legitimate online sports betting operators as long as they hold all required credentials to be regulated in their own home countries.
Legal Kentucky Online Sports Betting
Below, we've listed the most reliable KY sportsbooks vetted by our team of experts for competitive daily odds, state-of-the-art security standards, legitimate credentials, fast payouts, and full international sports market coverage. All the brands in the following table are excellent bets when it comes to Kentucky online sports betting!
There are no legal Kentucky poker rooms at this time, whether retail or online. The region has historically been strictly against domestic poker gambling. That said, HB 241 – KY's current sports betting bill – would also legalize online poker if passed, though the poker provision could also be dropped. As of 2021, the bill is on the House floor for debates.
Of course, local laws do not criminalize 18+ poker players from using legal online poker sites that operate internationally, which is the best hand you can play!
Is Online Poker Gambling Legal In Kentucky?
The state has yet to regulate online poker, as there are no brick-and-mortar poker options to manage the online element. Nonetheless, there are several excellent, legally operating international gambling sites that welcome players at just 18 years old and up.
Online poker players will not be violating any state or federal laws when participating with any site listed here, and tables are open 24/7/365!
Legal Kentucky Online Poker
The sites you see recommended below all accept players from Kentucky (18+) and offer legal US online poker action. These brands have been vetted for strong security standards, premier software quality, robust poker game variations, valuable online poker bonuses, quick and reliable poker payouts, and more. All in (all), these sites are a bona fide full house!
The only state-regulated gambling options available in Kentucky are the Kentucky Lottery, charitable gambling games (scratchers, raffles, bingo, etc.), historic racing machines (HHRs, or instant racing terminals), and pari-mutuel horse racing betting.
The state’s minimum legal gambling age for all these types of entertainment is 18 and up, except for HHRs, which require participants to be 21-plus.
However, you can legally and safely play real-money online casino games, place online sports bets and horse bets, and participate in online poker tournaments if you live in Kentucky and are at least 18 years old by visiting any reputable site listed on this page.
If you live in KY and are participating in real-money sports gambling at licensed offshore sportsbooks, you are free to take advantage of any of their betting lines and offerings.
The fact that any team might be based in KY (or any other US state or international region) is irrelevant.
The Kentucky Wildcats, for example, are always featured heavily in college basketball betting lines and March Madness odds at reputable online sportsbooks. You are free to bet on the Wildcats – or any other US-based or international team – at your discretion.
As long as you restrict your online gambling to legally licensed and regulated offshore destinations, then you are not breaking any state or federal laws by participating.
State laws in KY only outlaw the operation of online gambling venues within the state and do not apply to other nations' gambling laws. Limit your betting with the sites listed here, and you'll never have any problems.
Except, of course, for the fact that you'll have to pay taxes on your winnings. That's a bummer, but there's no way around it: Online gambling winnings are taxable income.
These are the following domestic gambling options in the Bluegrass State:
Charitable Gambling - This type of gambling involves bingo, raffles, pull-tabs, and scratch-offs. Charitable gambling events are run by nonprofits like service clubs, churches, and schools.
Pari-mutuel Racing – Horse racing betting has been a part of the fabric of Kentucky’s culture since the early days, with the first Kentucky Derby taking place in 1875. Kentucky has multiple racetracks and offers both live and online betting on the ponies.
Kentucky Lottery – The Kentucky state lottery was the second form of regulated gambling entertainment to appear in the Bluegrass State, becoming legal in 1988. The first Kentucky Lottery ticket was sold the next year. Kentucky was also among the first states to allow online lottery ticket machines. Residents can also play various interstate lottery games in Kentucky, such as Powerball and Mega Millions.
Licensed Offshore Online Gambling – There are no state laws in Kentucky (nor any federal laws, for that matter) that prevent residents of the state from engaging in licensed and regulated online gambling based outside of the United States. As a result, you can safely and legally enjoy literally any real-money gambling market you wish with such sites, whether or not those gambling options are domestically available inside the state.
KY rep Adam Koenig (R) has sponsored HB 241, which would legalize KY sports betting within state borders. The law would also legalize online poker in Kentucky. However, the betting legalization bill has a long way to go before passage, despite having bipartisan support.
Of course, none of that matters to the avid sports bettor in Kentucky, as you can wager on any sporting event you wish by simply using a legal online sportsbook operating internationally. As long as you live in KY, are at least 18 years old, and have an Internet connection, you're in!
