A new bill from Kentucky state Rep. Thomas Huff would allow voters to decide whether or not casinos come to their communities.
Filed for the 2025 session, HB33 would create a framework where the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation would oversee riverboat and land-based casinos in the state in addition to regulate fantasy sports.
In order for a county to pursue a casino, it needs to be one of the more than 80 counties in the state with a population of less than 30,000 residents. Additionally, it would need to circulate a petition and gather signatures equivalent to 25% of the voting population of that county during the previous election.
However, if it were a county that already hosts a horse racing facility, such as the home of Kentucky Downs, Simpson County, a petition to expand the gaming at the facility to include slot machines would not be necessary but there would still need to be a ballot referendum.
If larger counties wanted to pursue a license, they would need to partner with a neighboring partner and both pursue petitions and a ballot item.
The casinos would pay a 21% tax rate on revenue as well as a $3 admission fee for every person that enters the facilities. While betting on sports and horse racing is 18+, if a racing facility expanded to include casino gaming, those areas would need to be restricted to those over the age of 21 as they do for historical horse racing machines.
If a county approved a casino, the bidding process would be open to the public. The minimum bid for a full casino would start at $750,000, while the minimum bid for a riverboat casino would be $500,000.
The fantasy sports element of the bill appears to regulate both peer-to-peer and against the house fantasy sports, so long as the prizes are stated in advance and the outcome is not based on the performance of a single athlete or team.
Operators would pay a $5,000 annual licensing fee or 6% of revenue generated from participants within the state, whichever is larger. There would be a prohibition on collegiate sports being used in contest. Fantasy contest would be open to anyone 18 and older.
Huff’s bill was introduced in the House on Tuesday.
