Kentucky House Passes Sports Wagering, Goes to Senate
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A bettor wagers on sports via a mobile device
The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a sports wagering bill on a 58-30 vote March 18, and the bill now heads to the Kentucky Senate.
House Bill 606, introduced by Rep. Adam Koenig, an Erlanger Republican, would allow sports wagering at Kentucky tracks and via cellphones, while regulated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. It is similar to past legislation filed by Koenig but that failed to pass in prior sessions.
The bill seeks to legalize most forms of sports gambling and regulate taxes on online gambling, including fantasy sports and online poker.
The House just passed a bill legalizing sports wagering. This is the top bi-partisan request from constituents in District 32. I'm thrilled to vote "yes."@kyhousedems @KYHouseGOP #kyga22 pic.twitter.com/xCw1SPyHEG
— Tina Bojanowski (@TinaForKentucky) March 18, 2022
Kentucky's socially conservative legislature has long been reluctant to expand gambling in the state.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, has previously announced his support for sports wagering. The state is surrounded by some states already with sports wagering.
Kentucky is one of just 17 states to have not legalized sports betting despite polls showing it has widespread backing among the state's voters.
The bill's supporters say sports wagering presents an opportunity to stay competitive with surrounding states and generate revenue for the state's pension systems. The bill has until April 14 to pass the Senate and go to Beshear for his signature.
While Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer backs sports betting, Senate President Robert Stivers stopped short of throwing his support behind it previously.