Sports Betting not Coming to Kentucky this year

Kentucky lawmakers on Wednesday passed a streamlined budget of one year, which keeps government spending at current levels. It did not include the new revenue stream that sports betting laws could add. Hurry to prepare budget amidst coronovirus epidemic.

The Senate unanimously passed the budget, 34–0, Wednesday morning, before the House raised it in the afternoon and approved it for 80–10. It is now Gov. Andy Beshear gets his signature. The Herald-Leader reported that while legalized sports betting was a one-year budget casualty as there were other important items such as education funds and salary increases for teachers and state employees, Beshear’s victory in November was seen as a boost to gambling supporters . He not only supported sports betting, but wanted to see casino gambling in a state without a brick and mortar casino. Gambling was restricted to horse racing in the Kentucky Derby home.

Recent polling has shown that residents have supported expanding gambling options in the state. But conservative and religious groups in Kentucky have historically opposed gambling in all forms.