The American Gaming Association (AGA) has provided a letter to the Kentucky Senate surrounding the passage of House Bill 551, regarding legislation on sports wagering. The Senate is asked to consider and approve legislation to ensure regulated sports betting options in The Bluegrass State.
The letter states that the AGA aims to ensure Kentuckians have, “regulated options to safely engage in sports betting rather than continue to rely on illegal channels.”
The AGA ends its letter imploring the leadership to enact legal, regulated betting legislation and is signed by AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
Research done by the AGA has concluded that an estimated $64bn a year is bet with illegal sportsbooks. AGA reminds the Kentucky Senate that illicit operators do not pay state taxes, do not have a legal responsibility to pay winning bettors, do not restrict players by age verification and often do not provide resources to promote responsible gaming.
The document continues, “Recognized, legal sports betting enhances consumer protections and helps promote transparency while generating tax revenue for the state to invest in vital initiatives. Six of the seven states that border Kentucky have legalized sports betting, leaving citizens who want to wager with two options: travel to a neighboring state, or more likely, wager with an illegal sportsbook.”
The AGA asserts that House Bill 551 would also enable the state's famous Kentucky Derby race and licensed horse tracks to partner with “up to three online sports betting skins,” allowing 27 maximum operators in the state. This would eliminate a monopoly on the Kentucky market.
GeoComply found 295,000 geolocation checks in Kentucky during the opening weekend of March Madness, these checks were all blocked attempts at accessing online sportsbooks in other states.
