The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council has met for the first time since inception, and published the approved catalog of events for sports wagering.
This is ahead of retail sports betting which gets underway on September 7, 2023. Last week KE mobile sports betting pre-registration got underway and on September 28, 2023 online/mobile sports betting will officially launch.
During the first meeting, the Council was presented with a prospective sports betting catalog by Hans Stokke, the Director of Sports Wagering at the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. The Council made a unanimous decision to officially support it, and as such Kentucky’s first sports betting catalog has been made public.
Kentuckians will have an array of sports to bet on, from Australian Rules Football through to competitive esports and the Winter Athletics. Each sport has specified events for which operators can accept wagers, which are generally those sanctioned by a professional body.
During the meeting, members of the SWAC had queries around events such as slap fighting, beach volleyball and one of the fastest growing sports in the US: pickleball. Dana White’s slap fighting tournament ‘Power Slap’ was first offered in Wyoming and is now available in seven states. Pickleball announced it is legal in ten states, with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission the most recent to add it to its catalog.
Stokke assured the Council that this list was put in place based on what’s commonly regulated in other states. As is common for the course, wagering on greyhounds and horse racing remains a separate product from the traditional sportsbook. Furthermore, he reassured those members of the council expressing interest in other sports that the sports betting catalog is subject to change, and by the time KE online sports betting launches in late September, it could have additional events added.
The sports betting catalog revealed by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will be the one that applies for the launch of retail sports betting. The letter of recommendation from William May, the Chairman of the Kentucky SWAC states “Due to the immediate nature of this topic, the Council recommends that the KHRC’s Executive Director approve the Wagering Catalog subject to ratification, in the event that a quorum KHRC’s membership is not able to meet prior to September 7, 2023.”
The following Kentucky racetracks and associated OTBs have been approved to open a sportsbook on September 7:
- Churchill Downs, Louisville
- Derby City Gaming, Louisville
- Ellis Park, Henderson
- The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland Run, Corbin
- The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland, Williamsburg
- Newport Racing and Gaming, Newport
- Oak Grove Gaming and Racing, Oak Grove
- The Red Mile, Lexington
- Turfway Park, Florence.