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The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) has received lience applications from seven racetracks across the state. Those include Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ellis Park in Henderson and The Red Mile in Lexington.
In addition to retail locations, mobile service providers have also applied for licences to operate within the state. Mobile service providers include Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, Circa and Penn Sports Interactive (ESPN Bet).
This comes one month after revealing that sports wagering is set to debut on 7 September at retail locations and 28 September for mobile applications.
Beshear said: “The countdown is on. Kentuckians can plan to place their first sports wagers, at a retail location, in just 28 days.
“Bringing sports wagering to the state not only gives Kentuckians a new form of entertainment but also brings money to the state to support pensions, freeing up money that can be used to build a better Kentucky through the funding of education, economic development, disaster recovery and other necessary projects, like providing cleaner water, building roads and high-speed internet.”
These racetracks, once licensed, will be permitted to open retail sports wagering facilities at their satellite locations, enhancing accessibility for enthusiasts.
Meanwhile, the KHRC has stressed that the submission of licensing applications does not guarantee immediate licensure. The KHRC will review all applications and final decisions will be put to a vote at a full commission meeting scheduled for 22 August.
Jonathan Rabinowitz, KHRC Chairman, said: “The KHRC is excited to open sports wagering and is working efficiently to meet the necessary deadlines. This is a careful process dedicated to wagering integrity and protecting bettors in the state of Kentucky.”
