Gambling Louisville Kentucky
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- Is There Gambling In Kentucky
- Derby City Gambling Louisville Ky
- Gambling Casino In Louisville Kentucky
- Gambling Boat Louisville Kentucky
- Kentucky Gambling Laws
Introduction to Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling does not include games of chance, which are strictly illegal. Instead, Kentucky has competition-based electronic gaming machines at four out of its five pari-mutuel wagering racetracks.
Theoretical payout limits are not available but monthly return statistics are available for electronic gaming machines.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Kentucky*
The minimum legal gambling age in Kentucky depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: Not available
- Poker Rooms: Not available
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
Kentucky’s interpretation of legal gambling requires the competitor’s level of skill “must sufficiently govern the results.”
Therefore, competition-based games are legal as well as pari-mutuel wagering. Traditional slots are illegal, including those referred to as Class III, Vegas-style, and games-of-chance slot machines.
Kentucky has competition-based electronic games available in a few of their pari-mutuel facilities. These skill-based games are anonymously-based historical race results.
Historically, Kentucky has had a fascinating relationship with gambling. While casino gambling was never legal, gambling dens were prevalent before the Great Depression of 1929. To this day, the open display of illegal gambling from that time in American history continues to negatively affect the perception of gaming in Kentucky.
If you’re ever in Newport, directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, consider walking the Newport Gangster Tour.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Kentucky
In Kentucky, it is legal to own a slot machine privately.
Gaming Control Board in Kentucky
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulates skill-based games at pari-mutual racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
These devices are Historic Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. The KHRC reports Kentucky offers 2,981 HHR machines.
Casinos in Kentucky
There are five pari-mutuel racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Of these, only four sites offer skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines.
The largest casino in Kentucky is Derby City Gaming with 1,000 HHR gaming machines.
The second-largest casino is Red Mile Gaming & Racing, an HHR parlor in partnership with Keeneland Race Course, with 938 gaming machines.
Commercial Casinos in Kentucky
The four out of five of Kentucky’s pari-mutuel racetracks with skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines are:
- Derby City Gaming in Louisville located 74 miles west of Lexington on the Indiana border.
- Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson located 105 miles northwest of Bowling Green.
- Kentucky Downs Gaming in Franklin located 29 miles south of Bowling Green.
- Red Mile Gaming & Racing in Lexington.
Tribal Casinos in Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has no federally-recognized American Indian tribes and, therefore, no tribal casinos.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Kentucky slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Kentucky is:
- North: Indiana and Ohio Slots
- East: West Virginia Slots
- Southeast: Virginia Slots
- South: Tennessee Slots
- West: Missouri Slots
Each link above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Kentucky.
Our Kentucky Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Kentucky? If so, join our new Kentucky slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Kentucky. Join us!
Payout Returns in Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not offer any theoretical payout limits for their competition-based HHR gaming machines.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission offers statistics for HHR gaming under Quick Links entitled Wagering on Historical Horse Races. Its December 2019 report indirectly offers actual return statistics including comparisons to past actuals.
To calculate a player’s win percentage from the report, divide Less: Return to Public by Total Handle. For December 2019, the monthly Player’s Win% for HHR machines were:
- State-wide: 91.5%
- Derby City: 90.9%
- Ellis Park: 93.9%
- Keeneland/Red Mile: 91.3%
- Kentucky Downs: 92.0%
From this December 2019 report, Ellis Park had the highest player win% at nearly 94% while Derby City had the lowest at nearly 91%.
Summary of Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling exists as competition-based, games-of-skill Historical Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines instead of games-of-chance slot machines.
No minimum or maximum theoretical payout limits have been set. Monthly return statistics are publicly available for each pari-mutuel racetrack with HHR games.
Annual Progress in Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, Kentucky increased its HHR machines by 9% to 2,981 devices. However, the average daily handle for HHRs increased by 46%. For 2020 so far, it’s an amazing 59% increase compared to 2019.
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling
- Next: Louisiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
If you are a true gambling fan that happened to be in Kentucky, you might find the state boring, as gambling is not exactly fancied here. Kentucky frowns upon almost every form of gambling, as opposed to some other states.
The only exception from the rule is horse racing, as the activity is a traditional thing in the state. Some other forms of gambling that are allowed in Kentucky can be practiced only if they financially support a charity organization, education, or development of the state.
When it comes to online gambling, Kentucky is still somewhere in the grey area where things are not so clearly defined.
If you are interested in more details about gambling laws in Kentucky, legal forms of gambling, or online gambling regulations, you have come to the right place, as all those things will be discussed in the text below.
Top 3 Kentucky Online Casinos
Gambling Laws in Kentucky — The Law Overview
The history of gambling in Kentucky is closely related to the Great Depression. Before and after the Great Depression, Kentucky took pride in the extensive collection of gambling clubs. The fact that casino gambling was considered illegal at the time didn’t stop these establishments from offering their services to interested customers.
All of that was highly influenced by the presence of various organized mobsters that controlled a lot of gaming activities in Newport and other northern parts of the Bluegrass state. In the 1930s, there were several famous clubs that operated in Kentucky, like Beverly Hills Club, the Primrose Club, the Yorkshire Club, the Lookout House, and the Flamingo.
The owners of these clubs competed for the market and tried to sabotage each other by any means possible. One of the clubs, the Beverly Hills Club, was even set on fire, presumably by the competition.
Some club owners, like Jimmy Brink of the Lookout House, went with a different approach in order to keep the business successful. He decided to partner with the gangsters, which proved to be the perfect choice as his club flourished for many years.
The form of gambling that was definitely legal in Kentucky at the beginning was horse racing. Since 1875, Kentucky has been home to one of the world’s most renowned races — the Kentucky Derby. At some point, the tracks tried to cut all the ties with any gambling-associated actions. However, in the 1920s, pari-mutuel wagering sank in and remained legal in Kentucky ever since.
Nowadays, Kentucky is still quite rigid with its gambling rules and regulations, but there are a few things you can do in the state.
What Forms of Gambling Are Allowed in Kentucky?
Unfortunately for the residents of Kentucky, the law hasn’t changed much in terms of gambling and typical activities that fall under the definition of it. You won’t find any casinos in the state, as these establishments are still considered illegal. Neither tribal casinos nor any other gambling-related institutions have ever become a part of this state’s gaming story.
What you can do for sure is place wagers on horse races. This is probably the only exception of the complete prohibition of standard forms of gambling in Kentucky. We’ve got the Kentucky Derby that, together with the Churchill Downs racetrack, became one of the most prestigious races in the world. Wagering on horse racing is available throughout the whole year, and that’s not all.
Kentucky has introduced another form of legal gambling at the racetracks. They connected technology with horse racing and installed new racing game machines at race tracks. These machines remind of slot machines and they allow players to bet on historic races.
Another form of gambling available in Kentucky is charitable gambling. This includes some standard games like bingo, raffles, and scratch-off type tickets. Such games are considered legal because the revenue made out of this type of gambling goes directly to the fund of a charity organization chosen by the state.
Important notice is that standard casino games like slots, table games, and video machines do not fall under the category of charitable gambling. Even live horse races are excluded from the list.
Finally, there is a lottery that includes games shared with other states. The aim of this gambling form is similar to charitable gambling, as the profit from the lottery is used for funding education and development of the state.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Kentucky?
Although Kentucky stands firmly against almost all standard types of gambling, online gambling, in particular, has never been mentioned in any official documents. Officially, no law in Kentucky outlaws online gambling in any way, which further implies that it may not be interpreted as illegal. Be that as it may, it is not named as legal either, therefore, punters are the ones to decide if engaging in such activities is worth a risk.
However, some forms of online gambling are officially allowed since Kentucky supports pari-mutuel wagering on horse races via particular websites. The state made a small step towards accepting online gambling with the launching of the Twin Spires site. This is a website operated by Churchill Downs that is authorized to offer online wagering on horse racing from your home or anywhere else in Kentucky.
Apart from that, Kentucky residents can buy lottery tickets on the official website, which can also be taken as online gambling.
As no traces can be found of someone specifically prohibiting online gambling, some people choose to visit offshore online gambling sites that accept players from Kentucky. The state officials, well aware of these actions, attempted to stop them by trying to seize 141 online gambling domains. Yet, this didn’t stop offshore gambling operators from accepting Kentucky residents and give them the opportunity to play their favourite games online.
Also, the situation with the seizure of the domains in question affected only online gambling operators. The citizens of Kentucky that participated in online gambling activities did not suffer the consequences of their actions, which gives the impression that online gambling in offshore casinos is not punishable by law.
Where to Gamble in Kentucky?
The rigid attitude towards gambling is the reason why you won’t find any land-based casinos in Kentucky. Yet, the good idea might be to visit some of their racetracks since the state takes a lot of pride in their horse racing tradition.
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs is located on Central Avenue in south Louisville, and it represents the top Thoroughbred racetrack in the state. The Kentucky Derby is the most well-known track that takes place at this venue, along with many other races available all year round. You can also watch the races from suites and private rooms, as well as enjoy a great dining experience at one of the many lounges. The exact address is 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208.
Is There Gambling In Kentucky
Keeneland Association Inc
Another wonderful racetrack, according to regular visitors, is Keeneland Association Inc. It is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it has two different divisions. One is, of course, a Thoroughbred racing facility called Keeneland Race Course, while the other, Keeneland Sales, is a complex built for horse auctions. You can find it at 4201 Versailles Rd, Lexington, KY 40510.
Kentucky Downs
Somewhere between Kentucky and Tennessee, there is a Thoroughbred horse racing track carrying the name Kentucky Downs. Although not the most popular one, this racetrack differs from other race tracks in many ways. It is built in a European style, which makes it stand out from typical American courses, and it doesn’t have an oval shape. Moreover, instead of dirt that is usually used, the surface is covered with turf.
You can also enjoy dining and drinks, followed by live entertainment almost every day. To check all this yourself, find the establishment on 5629 Nashville Rd, Franklin, KY 42134.
FAQs
Are casinos legal in Kentucky?
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No, unfortunately, the state of Kentucky doesn’t allow standard casino gambling, as it is considered illegal. In fact, you cannot find any casinos within the state borders.
Is online gambling legal in Kentucky?
Kentucky is somewhere in the grey area when it comes to online gambling. No Kentucky law explicitly prohibits online gambling, yet this doesn’t mean that it is legal either.
What games can you gamble on in Kentucky?
At the moment, the only legal forms of gambling in Kentucky include horse racing bets, charitable gambling, and lottery.
Gambling Casino In Louisville Kentucky
What is the legal gambling age for players in Kentucky?
Gambling Boat Louisville Kentucky
The legal gambling age in Kentucky is 18 years for all legal forms of gambling, including lottery and horse racing bets.
Who regulates legal forms of gambling in Kentucky?
Kentucky Gambling Laws
As the only legal form of gambling in Kentucky is horse racing, the official authority assigned to regulate it is the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority.