On Monday, BetMGM became the second major sports betting operator to announce concrete plans for entry in Kentucky, where sports wagering is expected to go live on Sept. 7.
BetMGM will open a 5,200-square-foot retail sportsbook in the fall at Sandy’s Racing and Gaming in Ashland. When Revolutionary Racing Kentucky opens Sandy’s, it will feature Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines — parimutuel contraptions similar in function to slots — and will eventually expand to include a quarter horse racetrack that will be called Sandy Ridge.
“We promised to bring a world-class facility to Ashland and wanted a world-class partner for online sports wagering across the Commonwealth and at our sportsbook lounge,” Revolutionary Racing CEO Prentice Salter said in a press release. “We’ve got that with BetMGM.”
“Kentucky has a rich history in sports and a passionate fan base,” added BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “Revolutionary Racing is an ideal partner, enabling us to deliver an entertaining and responsible gaming experience, while investing in the state through job creation and tax revenue.”
Churchill playing it coy
In May, Caesars announced that it would open brick-and-mortar sportsbooks at two Lexington-based tracks: Keeneleand and Red Mile Gaming & Racing. In late July, Churchill Downs said it planned to have sports betting up and running at its flagship track in Louisville but did not specify a sportsbook partner, although it has a market access deal in place with FanDuel and also boasts a partnership with DraftKings.
Under Kentucky’s sports betting law, each of the state’s nine racetracks are permitted to open a retail sportsbook and have up to three mobile partners, meaning there could ultimately be 27 mobile sportsbooks in the state. Each track will be entitled to one physical sportsbook, with additional retail sportsbooks located at HHR parlors.
Despite the fact that it will be legal for anyone 18 and over to bet on sports in Kentucky (consistent with the minimum age for horse betting), both BetMGM and Caesars have set their age minimum at 21, which is the prevailing norm in most other states.
