Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear suggested more than $50 million was wagered in just a week of action at the Bluegrass State’s freshly launched online sports betting sites.
Beshear disclosed that during a press conference on Thursday, updating the state on the progress of Kentucky sports betting, among other things.
In-person wagering began at brick-and-mortar racing and gaming facilities in Kentucky in early September, but the mobile component of legal sports betting only started last Thursday.
“Looking at the first month of retail wagering, our partners are reporting a total of over $10 million of in-person sports wagering,” Beshear said Thursday. “And with the launch of mobile wagering just from Thursday through Sunday, Kentuckians wagered over $68 million through retail and mobile channels combined.”
Watch the live #TeamKentucky Update at 12:30 p.m. EDT. https://t.co/dfUOM2zPBS
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) October 5, 2023
The governor’s comments track with early data supplied by GeoComply, which helps online sportsbooks determine the location of customers and recently depicted a relatively busy start for mobile wagering in Kentucky.
“These numbers shouldn't be a surprise to anyone because Kentuckians have wanted this option for so long,” said Beshear, a vocal supporter of sports betting in the state who is in the middle of a reelection campaign. “When folks told us getting it passed was impossible, when even some legislators said that they'd never pass it while I was governor, we said ‘watch this.’ And together we got it done because, at the end of the day, our job is to serve the people of Kentucky.”
Putting up numbers
The governor’s office has floated the figure of around $23 million in tax revenue for Kentucky when sports betting is fully implemented. Those funds will help shore up the state’s pensions, among other things.
“We’ll watch these numbers grow,” Beshear said Thursday, adding that the “best part is all of it stays in Kentucky, helping with our pension system and other needs. This is the first time that Kentuckians have been able to stay home and our dollars haven't gone to paving roads in Indiana or investing in other states around us.”
