An initial catalog of the various leagues and events available for wagering at sports betting sites in the Bluegrass State has been approved by Kentucky regulators, with a few notable items left off the menu.
Members of the Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council met Thursday for their inaugural meeting, most of which was devoted to discussing the state’s legal sports betting menu.
The council is a new body, with its members appointed by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on August 15 to advise and assist the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) as it regulates sportsbook operators.
On Thursday, the council voted to recommend the KHRC approve a proposed sports-wagering catalog that outlines the various bet types that can be made and the events and leagues on which they can be made.
The recommended catalog was then approved by KHRC Executive Director Jamie Eads, although it is still subject to ratification by the full commission at their next scheduled meeting, a press release said.
One notable omission is horse racing, as Kentucky residents will have to head to the track or download separate horse-racing apps to wager on the sport of kings.
“We did consider several other jurisdictions’ catalogs and what those represent,” KHRC Director of Sports Wagering Hans Stokke told the council. “There are some omissions from this catalog that will not be allowed in Kentucky that you might find in other jurisdictions, particularly any dogs or horse races will not be included in our catalog.”
The first meeting of Kentucky's Sports Wagering Advisory Council is so far dedicated to discussing the state's proposed catalog of bettable events. The classics will be there, but no dog or horse races (need a separate ADW platform for that). Award shows also off-limits for now. pic.twitter.com/KDvg1Ts6oT
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) August 31, 2023
Stokke added that wagering on events not considered sporting events, such as the Oscars, will not be in the catalog. Also prohibited is wagering on injuries, penalties, replay outcomes, and disciplinary proceedings.
That said, all the staples of legal sports betting in the U.S. should be there for bettors when retail wagering begins in Kentucky next week, such as NFL football and NBA basketball. The approved wager types cover all the classics as well, including single-game bets, teasers, parlays, totals, moneylines, pools, props, and in-game action.
However, some sports still maturing, such as pickleball, are not yet on the initial wagering list but could be added later when Kentucky launches mobile sports betting on September 28.
“There were several that we considered for the initial offering that we decided to omit primarily because we didn't have the time to vet each of them as carefully as we would like to, but that we may consider for that mobile launch on the 28th,” Stokke said.
A good start
Kentucky sports betting is scheduled to start on September 7, albeit in-person wagering only at brick-and-mortar racing and gaming facilities, such as Churchill Downs in Louisville. Mobile sports betting is expected to legally begin on September 28 at 6 a.m. ET, with names such as bet365 and DraftKings among those poised to be part of the first wave of operators.
Developing and publishing a sports-wagering catalog is a key part of preparation for Kentucky’s launch.
Esports, such as the Call of Duty League, will be on the menu to start, while certain other sports, such as slap-fighting, will not. Again, though, the initial list isn’t set in stone, but Stokke said regulators had done their research and settled on sports with governing bodies with which they were comfortable.
“We'll have a process on our website where those service providers may submit potential new markets and we will then continue to research those, make sure the suitability is up to par with what we are offering here in our catalog and make a determination following that,” Stokke said.
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