Kentucky Online Gambling
The current Kentucky online gambling environment is an example of contrasts, deeply rooted in a long history of legal horse race wagering while cautiously embracing modern online options.
Kentucky has explicitly legalized and regulated a select few verticals, including online sports betting, online horse racing wagering, and online lottery sales.
Conversely, Kentucky maintains strict prohibitions against other forms of online gambling. Online casinos and poker sites are illegal under state law, and the state has a long history of taking action against unauthorized operators.
A significant portion of the Kentucky online gambling market, including sweepstakes casinos and daily fantasy sports, operates in a legal gray area. These activities are neither explicitly authorized by statute nor prohibited, which leaves them accessible but unregulated.
Continue below for a comprehensive overview of the Kentucky online gambling market. This page details the legal status of each type of online gambling, explains the current legal situation, and outlines available responsible gambling and dispute resolution resources.
Legal Kentucky Gambling Sites
21+ and present in KY. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Kentucky Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under KRS ch. 528. No licensed operators. |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Operates in a legal gray area; some operators block KY residents |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under the same statutes as online casinos; KY has a history of legal action against offshore operators |
| Online Sports Betting (18/21+*) | Legal/Regulated | Authorized via HB 551 in 2023 and regulated by the KHRG |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Not regulated but generally tolerated as a game of skill |
| Fantasy Pick ’em Contests (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Available in KY; not subject to regulatory crackdowns seen in other states |
| Online Lottery Sales (18+) | Legal/Regulated | KY Lottery offers draw games and instant win games online |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Advance deposit wagering legal under KRS ch. 230 |
*Some operators require users to be 21+
Kentucky Online Casinos
Real money online casinos are illegal in Kentucky.
The state’s penal code, specifically KRS Chapter 528, establishes broad prohibitions against advancing or profiting from any form of gambling activity that is not explicitly authorized by another state statute.
The legal definition of “gambling” under KRS 528.010(6) includes staking something of value on an outcome determined by an element of chance to receive something of value in return.
This definition directly encompasses the operational model of online casinos in Kentucky. Because no Kentucky law exists to license, regulate, or authorize online casinos, they are considered unlawful by default.
This legal framework prevents reputable, licensed online casino operators from entering the Kentucky market and makes participation with offshore, illegal sites a significant risk for players.
Legalization Outlook
The prospect of players using licensed Kentucky gambling sites remains distant.
Legislative efforts to expand online gambling in Kentucky have been slow and incremental, with no significant momentum. Past bills that included online gambling components, such as online poker, have consistently failed to advance through the legislature, often stalling in the Senate.
A recent legislative proposal, HB 33 in the 2025 session, sought to authorize land-based casinos through local county referendums, rather than launching a statewide online gambling market.
The bill represented a conservative approach to gambling expansion because it lacked provisions authorizing online casinos in Kentucky, yet it stalled shortly after introduction.
Kentucky’s HB 33 experience suggests that any future movement on gambling expansion will likely begin with land-based casinos, and only after surmounting significant political and social hurdles. A statewide launch of Kentucky online casinos appears highly unlikely in the near future.
Kentucky Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos are available in Kentucky but operate in a legal gray area and face unique legal challenges.
Residents who don’t want to wait an indeterminate number of years for Kentucky to legalize online gambling can turn to sweepstakes casinos as an accessible but unregulated alternative.
Well-known sweepstakes casinos in Kentucky include:
Sweepstakes Casinos Exiting Kentucky
Most major sweepstakes casinos have withdrawn from Kentucky due to increasing legal and financial risks in the market.
For one, Kentucky has taken an aggressive stance against unregulated gaming machines, as seen in House Bill 594 (2024), which amended “gray machines” resembling slots.
The Attorney General has stated that such devices are illegal if they simulate gambling. Although HB 594 seemingly targets physical gaming machines, Kentucky authorities could easily leverage the bill to target online sweepstakes casinos.
Additionally, Kentucky’s Loss Recovery Act creates particularly severe financial exposure for sweepstakes casino operators. The law allows individuals who have lost money through illegal gambling to sue the winners and recover their losses.
What makes the law exceptionally threatening is a provision that allows a third party to sue on the loser’s behalf if the loser does not file a claim within six months. The third party can then recover triple the amount of the original losses.
The threat the statute poses to sweepstakes casinos isn’t just theoretical. In 2022, Chumba Casino’s parent company settled a class action lawsuit filed under Kentucky’s Loss Recovery Act for $11.75 million.
Kentucky Online Poker
Real money poker sites are illegal in Kentucky under the same general gambling statutes in KRS Chapter 528 that outlaw online casinos.
Kentucky has a uniquely aggressive history of combating unregulated online poker. In 2008, the state initiated legal action to seize 141 domain names of offshore gambling websites, including prominent online poker platforms.
The legal battle continued for years and resulted in a civil judgment of $870 million against the parent company of PokerStars. Ultimately, PokerStars’ parent company reached a $300 million settlement agreement with Kentucky.
The story exemplifies Kentucky’s longstanding and forceful opposition to unauthorized online poker sites.
Legalization Outlook
Prospects for legalizing online poker in Kentucky are poor.
Legislative proposals that included provisions for online poker, typically bundled with sports betting and daily fantasy sports, have been introduced on multiple occasions but have consistently failed to pass.
Bills such as HB 606 (2022) and HB 106 (2023) died in the legislature with little progress. The consistent failure of these measures indicates that online poker is a low legislative priority and faces significant political opposition, making legalization unlikely in the foreseeable future.
Sweepstakes poker sites like Clubs Poker are the only available alternative in Kentucky, and the options are limited. The other major sweepstakes poker site, Global Poker, does not accept Kentucky residents.
Kentucky Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is legal and regulated in Kentucky.
Kentucky legalized retail sportsbooks and online sports betting in 2023 via HB 551. The law exempted sports wagering from anti-gambling statutes and granted regulatory oversight duties to the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation (KHRG).
The first Kentucky sports betting apps launched in September 2023, and some of the most prominent operators include:
- Bet365 Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
Key Rules and Regulations
The KHRG is responsible for licensing, rule-making, and ensuring the integrity of sports wagering in Kentucky. Regulations adopted by the KHRG are filed under 809 KAR.
- Minimum Age: State law establishes a minimum age of 18 to bet on sports in Kentucky, but most operators require customers to be 21+.
- Geolocation: Bettors must be physically located within Kentucky to place wagers but may sign up for accounts, deposit funds, and withdraw from anywhere.
- Tax Rate: The state imposes a 14.25% tax on revenue from online wagers.
- Licensing: Online operators must partner with one of the state’s licensed horse racing tracks.
Kentucky Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests are de facto legal but unregulated in Kentucky.
State law does not contain any statute that explicitly legalizes, prohibits, or regulates DFS activities.
The legality of DFS in Kentucky is based on the argument that it is a game of skill rather than a game of chance. Under KRS 528.010, the state’s definition of prohibited “gambling” contains an exemption for contests where the ultimate winner is determined by skill.
Fantasy sports operators contend their contests fall under this skill-game exemption, which has allowed them to offer paid contests to Kentucky residents for over a decade without legal challenge.
All major DFS operators are available in Kentucky. The generally accepted minimum age to participate in DFS contests in Kentucky is 18 years old.
Although lawmakers have considered bills to formally legalize and regulate DFS, those efforts were bundled with more contentious gaming expansions (like online poker) and failed to pass.
With sports betting now legal, the legislative appetite to regulate the existing, functional DFS market has diminished.
Fantasy Pick ’em Contests in Kentucky
Like standard DFS games, fantasy pick ’em contests are widely available but unregulated in Kentucky.
Fantasy sports apps like Boom Fantasy and ParlayPlay allow users to make over/under-style predictions on whether athletes will exceed their expected stat totals. The format resembles sports betting point totals, so it has received considerable scrutiny from regulators in other states.
However, Kentucky is notably permissive. To date, local authorities have not indicated any plans to crack down on fantasy pick ’em contests.
Kentucky Online Lottery Sales
Online lottery sales are legal in Kentucky.
The official Kentucky Lottery app offers tickets to draw games like Powerball and Mega Millions, instant win games that resemble scratchers, daily drawings, and keno online.
Players must be 18+ and located within state lines to buy lottery tickets online. Additionally, all new users must sign up for “Fun Club” accounts and complete identity verification.
Key rules players should know:
- Accepted payment methods: Credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, bank transfers, PayPal, and KY Lottery gift cards
- Minimum deposit: $10
- Maximum deposit: $850 per day or week and $4,250 per month (players can set lower limits if desired)
- Withdrawal policy: Deposited funds cannot be withdrawn; any money you deposit must be used to play lottery games online
- Winnings: The KY Lottery automatically deposits prizes under $600 to your account; larger prizes require players to either fill out an online claim form or visit the KY Lottery headquarters in person
Online Horse Racing Betting in Kentucky
Horse racing betting apps are legal and regulated in Kentucky.
As the epicenter of the American horse racing industry, Kentucky has a well-established legal and regulatory framework for pari-mutuel wagering of all types.
The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation (KHRG) is responsible for licensing and regulating advance deposit wagering platforms (ADWs) that accept wagers from Kentucky residents.
Licensed ADWs must adhere to strict state rules concerning account security, financial reporting, and the integrity of wagering pools. Residents can use the following online racebooks to bet on the Kentucky Derby and other races held at racetracks nationwide:
- TwinSpires (owned by Churchill Downs)
- AmWager
- FanDuel Racing
- DK Horse
Kentucky Gambling Regulators
- Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation (KHRG): The KHRG is Kentucky’s primary gambling regulator, established to oversee horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering. Its responsibilities were later expanded to oversee sports betting in Kentucky.
- Kentucky Lottery Corporation: A state-owned corporation that operates and regulates all lottery games, including online sales and instant-play games.
- Department of Charitable Gaming: This office within the KHRG regulates charitable gaming activities such as bingo and raffles conducted by non-profit organizations.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Kentucky
Kentucky provides several resources for individuals seeking information or assistance with problem gambling.
The 2023 law that legalized sports betting established a dedicated funding stream for these services, dedicating 2.5% of all sports wagering tax revenue to the state’s problem gambling assistance account.
Kentucky Self-Exclusion Resources
- KHRG Self-Exclusion Program: Allows voluntary bans from sports betting for 1 year, 5 years, or lifetime; accessible via operators or state offices.
- Kentucky Lottery Self-Exclusion: Integrated tools for deposit limits and account pauses on the official KY Lottery app or website.
Kentucky Responsible Gambling Organizations
- Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling (KYCPG): Offers awareness, referrals, and support; helpline 1-800-GAMBLER.
- National Council on Problem Gambling: Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER; chat at 1800gamblerchat.org.
- Gamblers Anonymous: Local meetings in major cities; schedules at gamblersanonymous.org.