Kentucky Online Casinos – An Inside Look At The Bluegrass State’s Casino Gambling Industry
Kentucky – home, obviously, to the annual Kentucky Derby (and plenty of horse racing betting) – is pretty gambling averse compared to most other US states. Not only are there no online casinos in Kentucky, there aren’t even any brick-and-mortar casinos in the state! That said, online gambling in Kentucky is actually legal – provided you bet real money with an international casino site.
Unlike KY-based racetracks which love to falsely advertise themselves as proper Kentucky casinos, these overseas betting sites are actually real casino outlets featuring real-money online slots, table games, live-dealer games, and more. While domestic KY venues are limited to electronic “slots-style” games of skill and KY Historical Horse Racing machines, you definitely aren’t!
★ Top Rated Online Casino For Kentucky Players
Bovada Casino – The Bluegrass Is Always Greener Online
You may be tempted to split town to gamble at a Las Vegas casino, but real "Kentucky Gamblers" stay put on the old homestead. After all, as long as you’ve got an Internet connection, you can play real Vegas gambling games online in KY anytime!
Just one Bovada membership gets you access to a full real-money online casino, online sports betting odds, online poker tournaments, and convenient online horse racing odds from local, national, and global tracks.
KY residents who join Bovada LV today can take advantage of the site’s famous $3000 online casino welcome bonus, and the minimum age to sign up is just 18 years old.
- Legally operates out of Costa Rica
- 250+ certified RNG slots + table games
- Live-dealer casino games 24/7
- Crypto banking options + Bitcoin bonuses
- 100% mobile-optimized for iPhone/Android
- 1 account for Casino, Sports, Poker, Horses
- All KY residents welcome at 18+
Is Online Gambling Legal In Kentucky In 2024?
Yes, but there are caveats. State law does allow for local online horse racing betting, but that’s it. Meanwhile, online Kentucky casinos don’t exist inside state borders, and there’s no way to play real-money online casino games with any of the horse tracks or “racinos” in the state.
That said, online KY casinos are still classified as legal because state residents have full access to offshore venues like those listed here. These casinos operate over the Internet and are headquartered outside of both KY and US jurisdictions. There are no Kentucky online gambling laws that criminalize residents for using these sites, and there are no federal US laws that do so, either.
Even better, most legit KY online casinos have minimum ages to play of just 18-plus. Otherwise, the casino age in Kentucky for local venues is 21+ just to “enjoy” their “casino-themed” HHR machines and other electronic gambling machines (EGMs).
Are There Legal KY Online Casinos That Are Safe To Play At?
Naturally! Now, if you consult your local Kentucky casino map, you’ll probably find that there are several alleged casinos in Kentucky that are open today. However, as stated, these aren’t real casinos. Real casino gambling is not available, and these venues offer mere EGM and HHR installations. There are also no Kentucky Indian casinos of any kind.
For proper Vegas-style gambling, then, the only choice you have – which, luckily, would also be the best choice even if KY casinos were a thing – is to sign up with an online casino website operating internationally.
Of course, there are hundreds of such sites on the Internet, and nobody wants to back a loser. So, to make sure you aren’t beating a dead horse – or, more importantly, to make sure you aren’t getting beat like one – it’s crucial to only play with trusted, legit online casinos.
The operators we recommend are all leaders in the industry, and they’ve been taking bets from KY gamblers for years. Each venue featured in our Kentucky online casino reviews checks all the following stalls in the stable:
Kentucky Mobile Casinos
For real casino gambling, you might be tempted to bust out the map and look for casinos near Kentucky rather than casinos in Kentucky. And if you can afford to make the trip, we won’t stop you. But if you just want to play actual cash casino games without breaking the bank (or breaking a sweat), you don’t have to go anywhere.
All the online casinos we recommend for KY players are fully mobile compatible and work with all iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. There’s no geofencing, and there’s never any meddlesome ad-filled online casino app to install, either.
The best sites require no downloads or updates, instead choosing to deliver their full menu of games and other Kentucky gambling markets right through any up-to-date mobile web browser.
Online Casino Games In Kentucky
The best online casinos have what local “casinos” don’t: real online Kentucky slots, online Kentucky blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps, keno, and everything else you can think of.
For the best online KY casino games, KY residents don’t have to look very far to find all the following classic casino amusements:
- Online Slots (3-Reel, 5-Reel, 3D, Progressive Jackpot)
- Online Blackjack (1-Deck, 2-Deck, 6-Deck, 8-Deck)
- Online Roulette (American and European)
- Online Baccarat / Online Super 6 (Mini-Bac)
- Online Video Poker
- Online Keno
- Online Craps
- Online Bingo (30-ball, 50-ball, 70-ball, etc.)
- Online Lotteries / Raffles / Scratchoffs
- Online Live-Dealer Games
Kentucky Online Live-Dealer Casino Games
It goes without saying, but the local racetracks calling themselves “Kentucky casinos” definitely don’t have live-dealer games. As with electronic casino games, the only way to play real live casino games in KY is to join one of the top betting sites serving the state.
These venues each have live casino tables for all the standard fare, including live blackjack, live roulette, and more. Table limits also run the gamut, so you can enjoy immersive A/V streaming and live dealer action regardless of whether your bankroll is rated as Win, Place, or Show.
- Live Dealer Blackjack
- Live Dealer Roulette
- Live Dealer Baccarat
- Live Dealer Super 6
Note: Online live casinos exclusively host paid games, meaning you can’t play live online casino games for free. Most reputable KY casino sites also disallow live games from contributing to any active bonus playthrough requirements.
Brick-And-Mortar Casinos In Kentucky
We hate to say it, but KY is a long way off from having real gambling venues up and running. It took several years just to get Historical Horse Racing machines approved, and there seems to be little legislative appetite to allow for KY gambling expansion or the establishment of any new casinos in Kentucky.
Unless you’re hitting up the state’s so-called “casinos” near Louisville or “casinos” in Lexington to watch the ponies run, you probably shouldn’t bother.
Of course, there is the nightlife component and fine-dining aspects to consider. If that’s your game, places like the Mint Casino Kentucky and other local hotspots shouldn’t disappoint.
Gambling Resources For Kentucky Residents
Gambling expansion has been extremely slow in KY, as the state has been historically reticent to add any more options to its legal horse betting and charitable gambling laws (though the state did legalize HHR – aka “instant racing” machines – in 2021).
You can check out the current Kentucky gambling laws for yourself at the following links, using the updated 2021 Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) as your jumping-off point.
- KRS Chapter 230 – “Horse Racing And Showing”
- KRS Chapter 528 – “Gambling”
- Kentucky HB 606 (2022) – Most recent proposal to legalize KY sports betting, KY online sports betting, and KY online poker. Kentucky online casinos (and brick-and-mortar casinos) are not addressed. Active legislation.
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction and would like immediate assistance at no cost, please contact the Kentucky chapter of the National Council on Problem Gambling.