Kentucky is not known for having a sizable gambling industry. Residents of Kentucky have a limited set of gambling options, mainly centered around sports betting and horse racing with a bit of charitable gambling and lottery sprinkled in the mix.
Today we will talk about the legality of gambling in Kentucky, the state’s history and the possible future of online gaming, and recommend the best offshore online casinos welcoming Kentuckians.
Kentucky is very strict when it comes to gambling. Players from Kentucky will have to travel to neighboring states to for in-person gambling because there are no land-based casinos in the state.
The residents of Kentucky can enjoy horse racing betting, sports betting, participating in the state lottery and charitable gambling for the time being. Offshore online casinos also welcome the residents of Kentucky.
| Type of Gambling | Status | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Online Casinos | Offshore Only | Kentucky does not have regulated online casinos in the state limits |
| Online Poker | Offshore Only | Kentucky does not have regulated online poker in the state limits |
| Land-Based Casinos | Offshore only | Kentucky does not have any land-based casinos |
| State Lottery | Available | Kentucky Lottery has been operating since 1989 |
| Online Sports Betting | Available | Kentucky launched online sports betting in 2023 |
| Land-Based Sportsbooks | Available | Land-based sportsbooks are permitted in Kentucky |
| Fantasy Sports | Available | DFS games are available in Kentucky |
Best Online Casinos Available in KentuckyWhat is the Gambling Age in Kentucky?
The legal gambling age for lottery games, pari-mutuel betting, and charity bingo in Kentucky is 18. The legal age to participate in offshore online casinos is 18, while the age to visit land-based casinos in the neighboring states is 21.
It could be tough to choose an offshore online casino that would suit your needs. We have reviewed and ranked the best online casinos welcoming Kentucky residents to make it easier to decide.
BetOnline takes its place as the overall best online casino for Kentuckians. Their array of casino games from well-known software providers including BetSoft, Microgaming, RTG, DGS, Rival Gaming, and Dragon Gaming is unmatched by the online casinos in this list. BetOnline hosts 600+ slots, 70 live dealer games, 34 table games, 24 video poker games, and 22 blackjack games, making it suitable for all kinds of gamblers.
Their welcome bonus is a very exciting $3,000 which gives a great boost to your bankroll. BetOnline also has a fantastic set of banking options with very reasonable minimum and maximum deposit/withdrawal limits.
Overall, BetOnline offers an all-inclusive offshore online casino gambling experience for the residents of Kentucky.
For slots players in Kentucky, DuckyLuck is a top-notch online casino. They offer 400+ quality slots from leading software providers including BetSoft, Rival, Dragon Gaming, and Qora.
Compared to other casinos in our list, DuckyLuck has a refreshing and rich slots games section. The slots games contribute 100% to their 500% up to $7,500 welcome bonus. DuckyLuck also hosts weekly social media contests that award 10 free spins on select games.
All in all, with the bonuses, slots contribution rate, and quality slots games DuckyLuck is the best online slots casino for Kentucky residents.
High Roller Casino is the perfect roulette casino welcoming Kentucky residents. High Roller Casino offers one of the biggest roulette libraries in the industry powered by the software giants BetSoft, Rival Gaming, DGS, BGaming, and RealTime Gaming.
In total they have 11 RNG roulette games and 15 live dealer roulette games in their library. High Roller’s RNG roulette games are not limited by European and American versions, they offer great variety with neat variations such as American Double Ball and Dragon Roulette.
The betting limits for live dealer roulette games are wide enough to allow low rollers and high rollers to play at High Roller Casino. Live dealer betting range starts at $0.50 and caps out at $12,500 per wager.
Bovada is a household name when it comes to online gambling, and they solidified their place as the best casino for table games.
Bovada has broken down their table games into three categories; blackjack, table games, and roulette. The blackjack section has 10 blackjack games including Perfect Pairs and Zappit.
The table games section contains the Baccarat, Craps, Andar Bahar, Caribbean Stud, Pai Gow Poker, and jackpot Let ‘em Ride.
The roulette section has the classic European and American roulette games as well as zoom roulette and dragon roulette. Table Games, Texas Hold’Em, Three Card Rummy contributes 20% to the welcome bonus, Blackjack, Pontoon, Double Exposure, Pontoon 21 contribute 10%, and Single Deck & Double Deck Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, and French Roulette, Zoom Roulette contribute 10% to the welcome bonus.
Sloto Cash is the perfect choice for both casual players and beginners looking to dip their toes in the online casino world. Sloto Cash has a very clean and easy to use interface compared to more intricate casinos. Adding to that the simple 3-step sign up process makes Sloto Cash the obvious choice for beginners.
Sloto Cash also offers all the popular banking methods that are simple and familiar to use so players won’t have to change their preferred banking method to play at this online casino. Despite being very simple to use, Sloto Cash has high quality games from RTG in their library that are sure to entertain beginners, casuals, and seasoned players alike.
If you are crypto player from Kentucky, SlotsandCasino is an excellent choice, especially if you want to participate in a great VIP program.
SlotsandCasino includes every player in their VIP program immediately after making their first deposit. This program offers daily cashback, reload bonus, monthly supermatch bonuses, and a personal host as players climb the tiers.
Most casino VIP programs encourage players to hold onto their comp points, but knock them down a few tiers when they do. SlotsandCasino has lifetime comp points, which aren’t redeemable and indicate a player’s level, as well as redeemable comp points, which hold no sway over a player’s tier. This makes it easy for players to enjoy their hard-earned rewards.
Slots Empire is the single best choice for Kentuckians looking for a no-deposit bonus. Slots Empire offers a $15 no-deposit bonus for new players and the only thing you need to do to claim is to enter the code GRATIS15 in the casher section after registering your account.
This bonus comes with 50x wagering requirements and it is valid on slots, real-series, video slots, keno, scratch cards, and board games.
| Casino | Welcome Bonus | Rollover | Min Deposit | # of Games | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | Up to $3,000 | 45x | $25 | 600+ | Read Review |
| DuckyLuck | 500% up to $7,500 | 30x | $25 | 400+ | Read Review |
| High Roller Casino | 400% up to $4,000 | 35x | $25 | 600+ | Read Review |
| Bovada | 125% up to $3,750 | 25x | $10 | 400+ | Read Review |
| Sloto Cash | Up to $7,777 + 300 Free Spins | 25x | $10 | 200+ | Read Review |
| SlotsandCasino | 300% up to $1,500 + 150 Free Spins | 30x | $25 | 500+ | Read Review |
| Slots Empire | $8,000 Welcome Package | 40x | $10 | 180+ | Read Review |
We examine online casinos thoroughly to make sure they are a good fit for the residents of Kentucky. Our experts rigorously test online casinos for both quality and security before a casino earns a spot on our list.
Here is a brief look into what goes into evaluating online casinos welcoming players from Kentucky:
Before recommending a trusted offshore online casino, the first criteria we check is its availability to the residents of Kentucky. To make it tour list, an offshore casino must welcome players from Kentucky without the use of a VPN.
The safety and security an offshore online casino provides is one of the most important criteria we take into consideration. We check all our recommended offshore casinos thoroughly for licensing information, active TLS encryption, and self-exclusion measures.
It is important that an offshore online casino offers generous and satisfactory bonuses in a transparent manner. We read in between the lines of every single bonus and promotion to ensure there are no hidden unfair terms and conditions.
For an offshore online casino to be worthwhile, it needs to offer a sizeable gaming library, with titles from well-known and trusted software providers, such as Rival Gaming, RTG, and BetSoft.
In-state online gambling is not available in the state of Kentucky. People residing in Kentucky have very limited gambling options. Although online sports betting has started sprouting in 2023 with House Bill 551, the state still does not offer a regulated online casino market.
However, the residents of Kentucky can still enjoy offshore online casinos. Offshore online casinos are licensed and regulated outside of the state limits and are welcoming the residents of Kentucky.
At the time of writing this article, Kentucky does not have land-based gambling options for its residents. Enthusiast wanting to gamble on a brick-and-mortar casino will have to drive out of state to enjoy real-life casino gambling.
There aren’t any tribal casinos in Kentucky. The state has two tribes that are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Interior, the Ridgetop Shawnee Tribe of Indians and the Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky. For tribal casinos to be a reality in Kentucky, a tribe needs to be recognized to qualify for the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
The state lottery has been operated by the Kentucky Lottery since 1989. Since its founding in 1989, the Kentucky Lottery has earned over $2.8 billion for Kentucky’s state treasury. Since fiscal year 1999, the Kentucky Lottery has funded $4.8 billion to college scholarships and grant programs.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Kentucky Lottery are in charge of regulating all forms of gambling in the state. The Kentucky Lottery is in charge of in-state gambling while The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is in charge of horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and sports wagering. The Department of Charitable Gaming (DCG) also establishes a regulatory framework to promote the success of charitable gaming as an effective fundraising method.
Comparing Kentucky's Gambling Laws to Neighboring StatesMuch like Kentucky, Tennessee does not have any land-based casinos. Tennessee also lacks any horse racing betting options. West Virginia is also very similar to Kentucky, yet a little more lenient, offering one casino and a couple of racing tracks. Illinois offers more options than both, with riverboat casinos, sportsbooks, and race betting.
Ohio and Virginia are similar to each other, both with a few land-based casinos and online sports betting options. Missouri and Indiana offer similar gambling opportunities with riverboat casinos, racing betting, lottery, bingo, and social gambling.
The Future of Online Casinos in KentuckyKentucky is not known for a large gambling industry, and the lawmakers don’t seem to prioritize making it a reality.
With the legalization of online sports betting in late 2023, however, it is safe to assume regulated online gambling within the state limits is not out of the realm of possibility.
It is hard to tell when online casinos would be realized in Kentucky, but with the tough economic climate in mind we might see bills introduced sooner rather than later.
Gambling should stay as an entertaining hobby but it can quickly turn into crippling addiction. Hence why, it is important to recognize the dangers of gambling addiction and symptoms to prevent it. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, there are several helpful, anonymous resources available in Kentucky:
Kentucky clearly favors sports betting over any other kind of gambling. In 2023, they introduced the regulated sports-betting market, but they do not have any land-based casinos, tribal casinos, or regulated online casino sites. However, Kentucky does offer a state lottery, and there are a few racetracks throughout the state.
Thankfully, players in Kentucky can use offshore casino sites to play slots, blackjack, video poker, and much more. Sites like SlotoCash and DuckyLuck give out generous bonuses and allow deposits from many popular banking methods.
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