The industry of legal Kentucky gambling is limited, but also incredibly confusing. Limited because there are only race tracks, and confusing because of the state of Legal Kentucky Gambling on the Internet. If you want to gamble on all of the options one might find in Las Vegas, the Internet is the route to take. The source of confusion comes from the lack of any law written specifically about online gambling, but there has been some action by the Kentucky Judicial system that had actually been against online gambling. Either way, we are going to show you the laws, requirements, and various gambling options that make online gambling in Kentucky such a hit.
Kentucky is home to Churchill Downs, where the world-famous Kentucky Derby goes down every year. While race fans and horse aficionados can enjoy some great wagering on the racebooks, there is a conspicuous and unfortunate lack of land-based casinos, poker rooms, or sportsbooks in the Bluegrass State. Luckily, there are still plenty of legal Kentucky gambling options out there for all you hopeful bettors that think you have to travel all the way to the desert to find some legit action.
The laws in Kentucky are very similar to many states in the US. While the federal government generally leaves is up to the states to decide whether to offer casinos or poker rooms, many states throughout the nation decide against having them. Kentucky is one of these states, although many legislators are trying to change that. However, the wide world of legal online gambling sites for Kentucky residents is ripe for the picking. These sites are safe and operate within the letter of the US laws. Therefore, while you will not find a casino, poker room, or sportsbook near your house in Kentucky, you will find all of them online.
The Kentucky gambling sites that have been in operation for decades all know what they are doing, and know how to stay above board when it comes to the state and federal laws. Kentucky has strict rules when it comes to setting up a gambling venue inside state lines, which is why there aren’t any. Luckily, these legal Kentucky gambling sites function outside the state; in fact, they operate outside of the country. The only way it would be against the law to play is if the site was owned and operated within the borders of the state, or the country.
Federal laws such as the Wire Act of 1961 restrict online gambling sites from functioning in most states in the US. Furthermore, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 puts an even harder clamp down on the few in-country sites that do exist. Federal laws like these make these US sites all but useless to the majority of citizens. This is why we are lucky to have legal gambling sites for Kentucky residents that operate outside of the country, because the Wire Act and the UIGEA don’t affect them.
No, there are no state or federal laws that go after average bettors like you. As long as you join a reputable and noteworthy site like the ones that we review, you will be playing with millions of other bettors from the US and abroad that enjoy total freedom in their online wagering activities. These sites offer the absolute best sportsbooks in the world, poker rooms that could have you sitting across from Phil Helmuth or Daniel Negreanu, and virtual casinos that will transports you to another time and place.
The only thing to keep in mind is your age. These sites require you to be at least 18 years old to join. Kentucky doesn’t have a set legal age, so you will be fine as long as you are over 18. Remember to always close out of your account when you leave the computer, and we suggest turning off “auto-login” to limit the risk of an underage user signing on to your account. Punishments for underage gambling can include suspension of your account, forfeiture of funds, and even legal trouble.
These prestigious sites are home to millions of satisfied members worldwide that make deposits and withdrawals daily. You will find numerous ways to fund your account and collect your winnings. You can simply use a credit/debit card to make a deposit, which is the most popular and efficient method. However, if you don’t feel like going through a bank you can use methods such as Western Union, MoneyGram, money orders, prepaid cards, and even checks.
Payouts, probably the most important aspect of using an online gambling site, are just as simple. These sites only send money through the safest and most secure lines. You will find that most people choose a tried and true check in the mail as their payout option of choice, as well as rapid transfers such as Western Union and MoneyGram. These kinds of methods ensure you will get your money relatively quick, and without any hassle from banks or anyone else. We have never heard a complaint about payout methods at any of these legal Kentucky gambling sites. In addition to the above mentioned methods, you will also find bank wire transfers, gift cards, bitcoin, and more.
| Legal Gambling Age In Kentucky | 21 - For Most Forms Of Gambling | |
| Legal Online Gambling Types Available | Poker, Sports Betting, Casinos, Horse Racing | |
| Best Kentucky Gambling Deposit Method | Credit Cards & eWallets | |
| Best Casino For Kentucky Residents | Slots.lv - Exclusive 200% to $5,000 Bonus | |
| Best Sportsbook for Kentucky Residents | Bovada - Wager on Kentucky Wildcats, Cardinals | |
| Best Poker Room For Kentucky Residents | BetOnline Poker - $5,000 New Player Freeroll |
Currently, there is nothing in the state of Kentucky's statutes that says online gambling is a crime. If you want to gamble online, keep this in mind. While the state has various laws governing online gambling, none of them state that you can get in any trouble just for placing an Internet based wager. This generally tells us that you can legally play the games without any fear of arrest. If you are at least 21 years of age, you can simply jump into the games and start to play.
Sports betting is also something you can find in Kentucky, but only if you turn to the Internet. Sure, you can bet on horses, but this is hardly the same as betting on football or baseball. If you want to play the odds, you will be to do so by way of the various sportsbooks we have found online, so you should not have too much trouble getting started. Remember, you are not actually violating a law by taking advantage of these sites.
Bovada is our preferred sportsbook, where we go for easy betting. They have odds on all sports, team and individual alike. Professional and collegiate sports can both be found through their betting options. You will be able to find straight and exotic bets on their site. They have live in game betting and a mobile betting site alike. You will be able to collect a 20% to $100 deposit bonus, which will give you a lot of extra money to get started, all based on how much you can afford to deposit. Bovada uses wire transfers, MyPayLinq and VISA to make depositing as easy as possible. In the end, this is one of the most secure gambling sites you could ask for.
SportsBetting has long given their users a wide range of options to play with. These options cover over 12 styles of sport and event. These events cover collegiate and amateur sports, so you will be able to bet every possible sport. SportsBetting is one of the most diverse gambling sites on the market, and you will be able to get involved with out much trouble. Credit cards can be used to make easy deposits, and you will be well on your way to gaming if you stick to their service. They have a 25% match to $100 upon signing up, which will give you some extra money to play with as time goes on. SportsBetting is undoubtedly one of our most famous gaming sites, and we recommend them if you want to wager on sporting events.
| Sportsbook | Bonus | Kentucky Welcome? | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Up To $250 First Deposit | Yes | Visit |
| SportsBetting | 50% Match On First Deposit | Yes | Visit |
| BetOnline Sportsbook | $1,000 On All Deposits - 25% | Yes | Visit |
| 5Dimes Sportsbook | 50% To $200 Then 20% To $500 | Yes | Visit |
Online casinos are easy to access in the state of Kentucky. If you want to play casino games, this is pretty much your only option. These online casinos provide the same experience that can be found in a Las Vegas based gaming center, all with extra advantages, such as enormous bonuses and higher payouts. If you stick to our preferred casinos, you will not have much to worry about other than fair play and easy games.
You don’t need to be a technological genius to get spinning at Slots.lv. This site has a sleek modern approach that’s easy to use because they made functionality and playability their top priority. It’s simple to join today and take advantage of the sweet welcome bonus for new players. This generous reward applies to any new member when you use the code “HELLOSLOTS200” on the cashier page, you can take a 200% match on your initial deposit. Make sure you use that extra credit to try out all their games, because this online casino has an amazing variety of slots and virtual table games that you couldn’t possibly play all in one go.
Lucky Red Casino is another place you can play casino games without too much trouble. They provide their users with one of the largest sets of games, as they have worked with the RTG software in order to provide the largest set of games possible. Lucky Red has gone as far as to offer a set of bonuses for either table games or slots. The table games bonus is a 100% match to $1,000, with the bonus code LUCKYRED100. They then have a 400% match to $4,000 on slots, with the bonus code LUCKYRED400. Lucky Red Casino has more than 100 games, and you can access over 50 slots with their bonus. Deposits include MyPayLinq, VISA, Mastercard and American Express.
In your first week of play with Aladdin's Gold, you will be able to collect a 200% match on every deposit you make. This is one of the best reasons to join their service, which boasts over 100 games. Aladdin's Gold Casino offers their players over 50 slots, more than 12 table games, around 10 variants of video poker and more. You will be able to fund your account with MyPayLinq, VISA, Mastercard, American Express and MoneyLineWallet. E-checks also surface through Aladdin's Gold periodically, so you will be able to make easy payments regardless of which option you employ. One of the RTG casinos, Aladdin's Gold is one of the safest options around.
| Casino | Bonus | Software | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slots.lv Casino | $5,000 Welcome Bonus | RTG | Visit |
| Lucky Red Casino | 400% up to $4,000 | RTG | Visit |
| Aladdin's Gold Casino | 200% Unlimited | RTG | Visit |
| Club World Casino | 100% up to $777 | RTG | Visit | Manhattan Slots Casino | 100% up to $747 | RTG | Visit |
| High Noon Casino | 200% up to $2,000 | RTG | Visit |
| Bovada Casino | 8 Match Bonuses Worth $3,000 | RTG | Visit |
| BetOnline Casino | 100% up to $1,000 | RTG | Visit |
| All Star Slots Casino | 65% FREE Deposit Bonus x4 | RTG | Visit |
| SportsBetting Casino | 25% Casino Re-up Bonus | RTG | Visit |
Online poker is another style of game you can find for real money line. Residents of Kentucky can access these poker rooms without too much trouble. Our poker rooms have been personally tested in order to make sure they are quality gaming sites, and we can promise you that you will be able to earn some money if you have the skill and ability to do so.
BetOnline is the one poker room we have decided to share with our readers. If you are going to play with their service, you will have very little problems actually doing so. They have shown us that they want to give their players a hand, which includes a 100% match upon signing up. They will let you deposit with VISA, MyPayLinq and wire transfers . They assure that credit card deposits will go through without fail, so you should have no problems actually getting started. They have all of the major forms of poker, with stakes ranging from pennies to hundreds. BetOnline is definitely the most versatile poker room out there, and we recommend it to all of our readers
Outside of Churchill Downs and a few other racetracks, Kentucky is essentially devoid of gambling choices. If you live in Kentucky, you will find no other forms of gambling. Kentucky residents essentially only have access to the online gambling options, but this is hardly problematic.
Kentucky is one of the many states where online gambling is not actually criminalized. If you decide you want to play with these games, you will have nothing to worry about other than losing out due to bad luck. Follow our advice and you should be well on your way to winning before too much time passes. The Kentucky legal gambling sites are easily accessible, and we can assure all of our readers that there is plenty of fun to be had.