The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) will soon meet to vote on an initial draft of sports betting regulations, according to a WBRD News local report. The state’s regulated market is scheduled to open July 1.
Commission Chairman Jonathan Rabinowitz informed the Board during a recent meeting that early drafts of the proposed regulations are ready to be added to the KHRC website. He said the Board will meet early next month during a special meeting to review the drafts, the local report said.
Rabinowitz also told the group that KHRC representatives have met with several out-of-state regulators, who assisted in putting together Kentucky’s recent sports betting regulations.
He said during the gathering, "Meetings with state regulators in Massachusetts, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio and Colorado have provided valuable insight into best practices. Many of these regulators have recently rolled out sports wagering in their states in providing tips learned from real-world experience.
“Meetings with service providers and visits to multiple sportsbook sites provided a look at the extensive technologies employed to protect the integrity of wagering. There have been discussions with stakeholders about problem gambling programs in Ohio, to form the program being developed in Kentucky at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
"Our legal counsel has met with counsel from sports associations, such as Major League Baseball, to learn about emerging legal issues."
The commission has until the end of the year to implement statewide sports betting regulations. Kentucky approved its sports betting law earlier this spring.
Under the terms of the new legislation, online and app-based operators like FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM will be permitted to launch their platforms in Kentucky once agreements with one of the state’s horseracing tracks are reached. Horseracing tracks statewide will also be able to partner with vendors and receive licenses.
