Six months after Gov. Andy Beshear signed legal digital sports betting into law, seven platforms made plans to launch in Kentucky Thursday. By mid-morning, there was confirmation that seven had done so, and several are offering updated launch-day specials.
The road to legal online wagering in Kentucky took five years before lawmakers could come to consensus, but when they did, they laid the groundwork for what looks to be an open, competitive marketplace that could ultimately have up to 27 live digital platforms tethered to the state’s nine horse tracks. Wagering at retail sportsbooks in the state began with the start of the NFL season three weeks ago.
Kentucky becomes the biggest U.S. jurisdiction to set the minimum wagering age at 18. Responsible gambling advocates will be watching the state closely, though even they are not sure what, if any, increased risk there is to allow access to wagering at age 18 vs. 21. Two operators — bet365 and DraftKings — opted to allow betting at 18+ starting Thursday, while other major operators set the age to bet on their platforms at 21+. When Circa Sportsbook goes live later this year as the only other licensed book so far, it will also take bets at 18.
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