Ahead of the hotly anticipated mobile wagering launch, the Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council has adjusted the approved sports wagering catalog, plus revealed the number of pre-registrations.
The following sports have been added to the existing wagering catalog:
- Formula One Racing
- National Rugby League Australia
- Professional Fighters League MMA
- Bellator MMA
- Universal Tennis League
Kentucky mobile sports wagering is set to go live on Thursday 28 September with bettors able to wager on events from Dota 2 esports, through to the professional American Cornhole League. The five above sports will be added subject to final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
Governor Andy Beshear also took the chance to give the public a small indicated of the opening weekends of Kentucky retail sports betting. Through the first two weeks of wagering, Beshear revealed that preliminary numbers suggest over $4.5 million was wagered at retail locations.
Beshear, in a release, stated: “This is a strong number that certainly reflects the excitement Kentuckians have for the opening of sports wagering. With college football and the NFL season underway, plus the launch of mobile wagering, we expect that number will grow significantly.”
He continued: “It has taken many years to get here, but sports wagering is finally a reality in Kentucky. This is a win-win for Kentuckians, who can enjoy a quality entertainment experience and benefit from funds staying right here in our state to help us build a better Kentucky.”
Ahead of Thursday’s mobile sports betting launch, Beshear also revealed that well over 60,000 mobile accounts have been created in the state’s pre-registration window. When the switch is flicked and wagers are accepted, seven sports betting brands will go live.
The following operators have received KY mobile sports wagering licenses and are set to launch on the opening day:
- bet365
- BetMGM
- Barstool (Penn)
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- Fanatics
The only mobile application not set to launch on the opening day is Circa Sports Kentucky, who told the regulator that its mobile sports betting application will launch later in the year.
September revenue releases will provide a brief glimpse at how the Kentucky market’s going to shape. The legal age for sports betting in KY is 18, and different sportsbooks have taken different approaches – with some pivoting from the typical US age of 21 down to 18, and others keeping their risk profile the same and sticking with 21 across the board.