Kentucky retail sports wagering begins Sept. 7, NFL opening day

At a meeting Monday at Red Mile, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved emergency regulations to begin sports wagering in the state by a unanimous voice vote. After the meeting, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed the emergency regulations into effect at a news conference.

Under those provisions, in-person sports gambling was scheduled to begin Sept. 7 in the state, as previously reported by John Clay of Lexington Herald-Leader. That opening day for retail sports betting is the same day as the NFL regular-season opener between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. Mobile sports wagering is set to begin Sept. 28.

Gov. Beshear signed a law approving sports wagering in Kentucky on March 31. The law took effect June 29, 2023. Under that law, the KHRC was given authority to regulate sports wagering in Kentucky.

Emergency regulations are effective under Kentucky law as of the date they are filed and signed. Emergency and ordinary regulations will go through a period of public comment and will be subject to public meetings and an opportunity for written comment.

Jennifer Wolsing, general counsel for the KHRC, outlined the structure of the sports-betting regulations at the meeting. She explained that the emergency regulations cover licensing and technical regulations.

Under the licensing regulations, Kentucky can license as many as nine racetracks to offer sports betting. Each of those tracks can license as many as three service providers, companies that the tracks choose to work with to offer on-site and mobile betting. The licensing aspect of the regulations also covers state licensing of key employees such as managers and executives, other racing and sportsbook personnel, and technical support companies.

Technical regulations cover gaming standards and responsible-gaming provisions.

In addition to the sports-wagering law, the KHRC handled two other items during Monday's meeting. The commission approved a measure allowing Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund money to be paid down to fifth place at the current Ellis Park meet, in line with the track's structure that pays regular purse funding down to fifth.

Another measure was a request from Ellis to amend several parameters of its meet to harmonize with what Churchill had been doing at its meet. That includes moving first post to 12:45 p.m. EDT, adding several wagers (jackpot Pick 6, super high five, all-turf Pick 3), raising the minimum on win, place and show bets to $2, and using the same regulations that Churchill Downs does to handle the Pick 5 pool.

Both measures were approved via unanimous voice vote.