The prospect of Kentucky legal sports betting is hanging on by mere threads as members of the Senate continue to push against House gambling measures. There are only three days left in the legislative session, leaving little time for Senators to negotiate or amend the bill.
Nonetheless, Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer has expressed some optimism for HB606. On Friday, he told journalists that, through hearings and other efforts, many in the chamber have worked hard to keep the proposal alive.
Senate Stuck In A Stalemate
But the Majority Leader was also honest about the odds of passing sports betting. And, according to his claims, it’s quite the longshot.
Thayer added that many of his more conservative caucus members were not keen to welcome in-person or legal mobile sports betting to the state. Even with $40 million in annual state revenues on the table, the issue has been largely overlooked.
That being said, it has been difficult to justify a vote without more support from within. In a later comment, Sen. Thayer said,
“Even assuming that most of the Democrats will vote for sports betting, when I walked out of here last week, we still did not have enough votes to pass it,”
Republicans Split On The Issue
It’s interesting to see this kind of bipartisanship in a state with such a heavy-handed Republican majority. In the House, Republicans were split 37-30 on the issue, meanwhile, every sitting Democrat voted to approve the legal state sports betting bill.
HB606 received House approval at the end of March in a 58-30 vote.
Without a vote scheduled, it is unlikely that Kentucky will be added to our master list of legal sports betting states. The bill could be deferred to next year’s session if Bluegrass Senators want more time to sit on it. But that option is to be used at their discretion, alone.
As we head into the NBA Playoffs and Finals, Kentucky bettors will have to make other arrangements for placing their wagers. And for sports betting fans that prefer the ambiance of in-person betting lounges, that means driving across state lines.
How To Legally Bet In Kentucky
Casual bettors can still get in on the action from home by using offshore online sportsbooks. Our preferred operators are both safe and legal to use, having been in the business long before the overturn of PASPA.
The benefits of using an offshore sportsbook extend beyond access. Bettors can deposit and withdraw funds in cryptocurrency, slowly building a crypto portfolio. Moreover, in-game betting is a luxury afforded only to online and/or mobile operators.
For more information on wagering offshore, head over to our legal online sports betting FAQs. Otherwise, feel free to send us any questions you have via Twitter and tag @sportsbetting_legal.
Source: LEX 18
