On the morning of Thursday, September 28th, Kentucky sports fans are waking up to a new era. Online sports betting went live at 6 a.m. making mobile legal betting a reality for the first time in the history of the Bluegrass State.

It’s a day many Kentucky sports betting fans have eagerly anticipated. In-person retail betting started on September 7th and is now the convenience of online betting is up and running too.

Details of Legal Kentucky Sports Betting

The law requires that sports bettors must be 18 years or older. However, some of the betting apps are 21+ in line with the more common legal age across other states.

Kentucky is set to gain a nice boost in tax revenue. Retail betting revenue will be taxed at 9.75% and online operators will see 14.25% of their profits paid over to the state.

Seven online sportsbooks planned to go live on Day 1. They include several of the biggest players in the U.S. legal sports betting markets:

  • bet365
  • FanDuel
  • BetMGM
  • Caesars
  • DraftKings
  • Fanatics
  • Barstool

Years in the Making

After several years edging closer to passage, the legislative efforts were finally successful in March 2023. The law means all pro and college sports can be bet on but high school sports are excluded.

You must be inside the state lines of Kentucky to place a wager on a Kentucky betting app. This is closely enforced by Geolocation technology. However, registration and depositing are possible from anywhere.

And despite there being no “Big 4” teams based in Kentucky, there is expected to be a lot of interest in nearby pro teams.

The Bengals, Titans and Colts of the NFL will take center stage at the moment along with the Reds and Cardinals of MLB. By the end of October, the Pacers will give a jolt of NBA interest to local fans.

One of the biggest draws of the sporting calendar will be the men’s NCAA basketball tournament.

The success of Kentucky and Louisville’s basketball programs over the years means March Madness will take on a new meaning for Bluegrass bettors from now on.