Kentucky Online Casinos
Contents
The state of Kentucky defines gambling as “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest or game based upon an element of chance.” The gambling laws in Kentucky are as strict as they can get.
Among the fifty states, Kentucky is one of the most restrictive ones when gambling is in question. Due to that, there are no land-based casinos in this state.
A large number of Kentucky residents travel to other states where land-based casinos are legal, such as Ohio, West Virginia, and Indiana. Casino aficionados can relax there and enjoy the thrill of land-based casinos.
Kentucky is home to one of the most popular horse racing events in the world — the Kentucky Derby. That is the perfect opportunity and, according to some, a birthright for sports fans to experience pari-mutuel betting. Any other form of gambling in Kentucky isn’t allowed.
There were numerous attempts and bills to introduce casinos in this area, but they have all been futile. We don’t want to jump the gun and say there will certainly be online casinos in the future in this state. For now, we are hoping to see some land-based options in the Bluegrass State.
However, all is not lost. There are still some online options for casino fans. Keep reading our review to find out how you can play your favorite online casino games in Kentucky.
Top 10 Kentucky Online Casinos
Bovada
- Mobile Friendly
- Accepts Bitcoin
- Live dealers available
- The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25x playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
- Forfeiting this bonus will result in this bonus and any subsequent winnings associated with this bonus to be removed.
- Bonus funds cannot be used for play on Live Dealer games.
- Craps and Live Dealer play do not count toward meeting rollover requirements for withdrawal.
- All games, except Craps and Live Dealer, contribute towards playthrough requirements; however, certain games may have a greater contribution than others.
Ignition Casino
- Accepts Cryptocurrency
- iTech Labs Certified
- Processes cryptocurrency withdrawals very quickly
- The deposit plus Casino bonus amount is subject to a 25X Casino playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.
Vegas Casino Online
- Mobile Friendly
- Established Since 1999
- Frequent Promotions
• This offer is valid only for first-time depositors at Vegas Casino.
• The offer is limited to one player per household and/or computer.
• The coupon can only be redeemed once by the player to a maximum of $500 in bonus.
• Deposit a minimum $25 to qualify for this bonus.
• The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted.
• Only the following games count towards the wagering requirements of the bonus: some Real Video Slots, some Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards.
Cafe Casino
- Transparent banking options
- Crypto friendly
- Live dealers available
- Bonuses issued at the discretion of the Company are subject to one per individual, household, civic address, e-mail address, deposit instrument, bank account, telephone number, computer/device, and/or IP address.
- If you cancel or forfeit the bonus at anytime prior to wagering and rollover requirements being met, all funds generated by the bonus (including the bonus) will be void and be ineligible for reinstatement. Details on the applicable restrictions can be found in the specific terms of the promotion.
- Unless otherwise stated, the minimum amount required to activate a deposit bonus is $20.
- Bonuses are subject to wagering and rollover requirements and must be met by their specified timeline prior to any approved requested withdrawals.
Slots.lv
- Mobile Friendly
- Accepts Bitcoin
- Great Customer Support
Redeemable once per player
Red Dog Casino
- Rewarding promotional offers
- Supports Bitcoin
- Smooth site navigation
225 Slots Bonus + Extra 20% for deposits with crypto. Min dep: $10 Neosurf, $20 BTC, $20 LTC, $20 ETH, $20 BNB, $20 XRP, $20 DOGE, $20 Flexepin, $30 CC, $40 USDT. Valid 5 times. WR: 35x(D+B). Max bet: $10. Max PO: 30xD. Games included: Video Slots, Keno, Scratch Cards, Board Games.
Wild Casino
- Diverse and transparent banking options
- Regular promotions and tournaments
- Dedicated phone support available
- Players can claim the WILD250 bonus code on their first deposit only.
- Players can claim the WILD100 bonus code on their 2nd to 5th deposits only.
- A minimum deposit of $20 is required to qualify for WILD250 and WILD100 bonus codes.
- The maximum bonus amount per deposit is $1,000.
- The correct bonus code needs to be entered to claim the correct match bonus with your deposit. ie WILD250 on your first deposit and WILD100 on subsequent deposits.
- This bonus is only valid on select Slots, Table games and Video Poker games.
- This bonus is not valid in the Live Dealer Casino.
- The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 40X rollover requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn.
- Not all games contribute towards bonus rollover; please check our bonus contribution page for further details.
- If the rollover requirements are not met within 30 days of claiming the bonus, any remaining bonus funds winnings will be forfeited.
- Only one bonus can be active at any one time.
- The maximum release amount is 5X the bonus amount up to $5,000.
- Rollover requirements must be met before any additional bonuses can be granted.
- This promotion is non-transferable.
- Standard bonus terms and conditions apply.
- Wild Casino reserves the right to alter or amend the Terms and Conditions of this promotion at any time without notice.
Sloto Cash
- Offers live dealer options for US players
- Great variety of slot machines available
- Great rewards program
All free bonuses require a minimum of 60x wagering before any withdrawal can be made. Wagers placed on Blackjack, Video Poker, Craps, American Roulette, Baccarat, and other table or non-slot games will not count toward this wagering requirement unless explicitly stated otherwise. Playing any excluded game before meeting these wagering requirements may result in the casino voiding all winnings and potentially closing the account. Withdrawal requests submitted before completing the wagering requirements will be denied until these requirements are fully met.
SportsBetting.ag
- Allows US Players
- Live dealers available
- Frequent promotions available
Sun Palace Casino
- Established since 2002
- Allows US Players
- Fantastic 24/7 Support
The deposit and bonus must be wagered fifty (50) times before a cashout is permitted.
Is Online Gambling Legal in Kentucky?
Throughout history, the state of Kentucky was a politically conservative state, which extended to other aspects, namely gambling. Even though this state isn’t home to any land-based casinos, they aren’t explicitly restrictive when online casinos are in question.
While there are currently no online casinos, there is nothing in the law that prohibits other online casinos from offering their services to Kentucky players. On the one hand, there is no law prohibiting online casinos, but on the other hand, there is no governing body that can regulate this industry. Kentucky is in the gray zone when it comes to laws and regulations of online gaming platforms.
However, there is one big exception in the whole story. Some states have managed to allow gambling only if it has a function of the state lottery. Luckily, Kentucky was able to pull off something similar related to horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering.
So, there is a form of online gambling that’s legal in Kentucky — Twin Spires, a website operated by Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby takes place every year. This website allows residents to place bets on horse racing events online. Additionally, Twin Spires is available on mobile devices, which makes wagering pretty convenient.
What’s more, residents of the Bluegrass State can partake in the state lottery online. There is a state lottery website where residents can play on multi-state drawings. The lottery is quite popular in Kentucky — in 2018, it reached one billion in sales!
We were rather shocked to see that there were two online gambling options for players in Kentucky — a state with no casinos.
Offshore Casinos
While there are no legalized online casinos in the state, there are still other casino operators that offer their services to Kentucky residents. They are the so-called offshore casinos that usually operate outside the US, meaning that the Kentucky Law Enforcement has no jurisdiction over them.
There are some conflicting opinions on whether offshore casinos are legal or not. But, since there is no proper legal framework stating offshore casinos are illegal, we think they are your best choice if you want a good casino experience.
However, due to one complicated lawsuit between the state of Kentucky and PokerStars, which ended badly, big names in the online casino industry simply refuse to conduct any business there. Luckily, there are still plenty of options for you to choose from.
These casinos have the most amazing casino games. Most of them accept players from the US. Of course, you should see whether they have proper licensing before you start playing. You can have fun in an online casino and be well-protected at the same time.
Future of Online Gambling in Kentucky
Seeing how restrictive Kentucky is compared to other US states, it’s difficult to predict whether online gambling will get its legal framework soon (or ever). We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. This state has a long way to go before we can even compare it to others that have already opened their doors to online gambling platforms.
The closest Kentucky ever came to legalizing and regulating online gambling was when they introduced iLottery sales that can be conducted online. For online gambling sites to appear in Kentucky, the state needs to accept land-based casinos first.
Given the fact that the state won’t be opening any casinos in the foreseeable future, we can’t say that the fate of online casinos is bright in the Bluegrass State.
However, we can’t overlook the fact that there is one online platform for placing horse racing bets. Thinking of an overall gambling landscape, it’s not much, but it is the first step in establishing online gambling. We still have a tiny bit of hope that the state will recognize the potential of online gambling someday.
Kentucky Land-Based Casino Options
The state of Kentucky isn’t home to any land-based casinos. There are no options for playing a game of poker or blackjack or potentially hitting a jackpot in this state. Also, no racetracks are authorized to offer slot machines, table games or video poker.
What Kentucky is famous for is horse racing — there are six operating racetracks in the state:
- Churchill Downs
- Kentucky Downs
- Keeneland
- Ellis Park
- Turfway Park
- The Red Mile
They host various horse racing events, with the most famous one being the Kentucky Derby, the first race of the Triple Crown.
Even though there are no land-based casinos in the state, Kentucky residents can still experience a real casino — all they have to do is go on a road trip to some of the neighboring states. Once they cross the state’s borders, they can relax and fully enjoy all casino games they can think of.
Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino, Belterra Casino Resorts, and Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in West Virginia, Rocky Gap Casino in Maryland, and Rivers Casino in Pennsylvania are very important for Kentucky players.
As you can see, saying that there are zero options for Kentucky casino enthusiasts would be a lie. Of course, compared to the situation in other states, gambling does require more planning and effort, but you can still enjoy a game of poker, roulette, or slot machines.
At the moment, Kentucky doesn’t have any online casinos operating in the state. Even though it’s among the most restrictive states in the US, there are two forms of online gambling you can participate in — online horse racing via Twin Spires and the state’s national lottery. However, you can always choose offshore casinos that accept players from Kentucky.
FAQ
At the moment, Kentucky doesn’t have any online casinos operating in the state. Even though it’s among the most restrictive states in the US, there are two forms of online gambling you can participate in — online horse racing via Twin Spires and the state’s national lottery. However, you can always choose offshore casinos that accept players from Kentucky.
Currently, there are no brick-and-mortar casinos in the state of Kentucky.
If you want to participate in horse race betting and the lottery, you need to be over 18. However, if you choose offshore online casinos, you need to be older than 21.
Yes, pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing events is the only form of gambling allowed in the state of Kentucky. You can also bet online on horse racing through the Twin Spires platform.
Offshore casinos that accept Kentucky players offer a wide range of live casino games — live poker blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and others.
