In a bit of a surprise for the 2023 legislative session, Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill that would allow betting on sports in the state.
Based on numerous Twitter posts by the media and lawmakers documenting the final vote, the Kentucky Senate passed the sports betting bill by a margin of 25-12. In the Senate, the bill received broad support from Democrats and sufficient support from Republicans. House Bill 551 was passed by the House of Representatives 63-34 on March 15.
Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law.
In a Tweet noting the passage of the sports betting bill, Representative Tina Bojanowski, a Democrat from Louisville, said: “This is the legislation most requested by my voters. “
Kentucky Senator Damon Thayer (Republican, Georgetown) helped garner much-needed support from his side of the aisle.
The law would legalize gambling in live amateur and professional sports events. It would require online game providers to be affiliated with a Kentucky racetrack with the Kentucky Equestrian Commission acting as the governing body. Bets can be placed at a licensed establishment or online through a website or mobile app.
The Kentucky Horse Education Project, which advocates racing and horses of all breeds in the state, backed House Bill 551. In an email to supporters earlier this month, it noted that fish Legitimate sports bets can promote the racetrack.
“KEEP and the Kentucky equine industry have been actively engaged over the years in advocating for sports betting laws that protect the role of Kentucky industry in the landscape of betting options and carry new revenue for the state,” KEEP wrote. “HB 551 does this by allowing sports betting to be offered live at Kentucky racecourses. In addition, sports betting will be regulated by KHRC, a testament to the trust that these players have. bettors bet on Kentucky’s horse industry.
“Overall, this measure will benefit Kentucky’s equine community and industry by providing new revenue streams for the industry, as well as attracting new fans to the sport through through first-hand experience at the Kentucky racetracks.”
Kentucky is almost entirely surrounded by states that allow sports betting: Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia all allow sports betting.
In a letter that KEEP urged supporters to send to lawmakers, they noted: “Sports betting is legal nationwide, including in all but one of our neighboring states. This measure would allow Kentucky to capture and regulate this activity and provide additional revenue to the state.”
It was a strong session for Kentucky horse racing and HOLD. Earlier in the session, KEEP welcomed legislation banning so-called “gray machines”, which have popped up at gas stations and convenience stores, posing a potential threat to historic horse racing games. Legal and regulated have helped increase the pocket money for Kentucky in recent years.
KEEP, along with many other organizations, has worked closely with legislators to ensure that they understand the negative impact of illegal gray machines on families, communities and other forms of gambling. Legally of Kentucky.
“KEEP will continue to work on behalf of the entire Kentucky equine community and industry to advocate for policies that benefit everyone in the industry’s economic ecosystem,” it said after legislation banning the machines. gray is adopted. “The successful development of more than 60,000 industry jobs and a $6.5 billion economic impact on the state benefits all Kentuckians.”
