I don’t have to explain to you the reason why this has happened, but Kentucky has decided to take on the challenge of getting sports betting legalized next year instead of in 2020. And nobody can blame them.
Residents of the state were very excited about the prospect of sports betting possibly being available by this fall. The state has never had a legal sportsbook or casino of any kind. And for a relatively small state it has a veracious sports appetite.
Think about all of the major programs and events there: Louisville basketball and football, Kentucky basketball and football, The Kentucky Derby, even Western Kentucky and smaller schools draw huge attention. It is a veritable hotbed of sports activity.
Kentucky Representative Adam Koenig recently said of sports betting: “I think we’re looking at a dead bill this year and come back next year. I may not leave this place until they pass it, so if they want to get rid of me, they better hurry up. Getting rid of me might motivate some.”
So, you can see there is real motivation. The revenue generated by sports betting will provide the state coffers with millions of dollars. Kentucky was already on the top ten list of the Ten poorest states. Now, after the pandemic recession, the State will be in even worse shape. With any luck football, basketball and sports betting are in the not-too-distant future of the State of Kentucky.
