Kentucky Online Casinos
Made famous by the ever-popular Kentucky Derby, the state of Kentucky is home to a few gambling styles with room to expand into the online casino gambling market. Neighboring states that offer a wide variety of gambling entertainment, Kentucky is staying competitive with its racing establishments that offer some casino-style gaming, pari-mutuel betting, the lottery, and charitable gambling through bingo and raffles.
Although considered to be one of the states with strict gambling laws, there are plenty of options for the average gambler, especially when considering the growth of online casino gambling.
What Online Casinos are Available in Kentucky?
| CASINO | RATING | BONUS | PLAY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Vegas Casino Online | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| 400% up to $10,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
| 2 | 
Slots Empire | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| 220% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
| 3 | 
El Royale Casino | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| 250% up to $12,500 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
| 4 | 
Red Dog Casino | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| 225% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
| 5 | 
Slots.lv | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
| 200% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus | PLAY NOW |
Is Online Gambling Legal in Kentucky?
As it stands, Kentucky does not have a particular law that clearly allows online casinos from within the state. As with most states in the US, it has become a gray area in terms of legally allowing US players from participating in online gambling via offshore casino sites. At the moment, the only online betting that is legally allowed for gamblers is daily fantasy sports and a handful of skill gaming sites that are regulated by the state. Other gambling sites are not allowed, though there is yet to be a law proposed to regulate accessing and using such sites.
Kentucky Offshore Casino Statistics
Kentucky is the 28th most active state that participates in offshore online gambling at casinos as of 2020 with a gross win amount of $11.07m. Kentucky contributes to 0.98% of all offshore casino activity in the United States for 2020. Click here to see a breakdown of all offshore gambling activity broken down by state. The following is a breakdown of all offshore casino gambling from Kentucky since 2003.
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Gross Win | $9.68m | $11.60m | $14.58m | $17.66m | $10.99m | $10.66m | $10.24m | $10.34m | $9.59m |
| Year | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020* |
| Gross Win | $9.66m | $9.57m | $9.29m | $8.84m | $8.47m | $8.28m | $8.08m | $7.90m | $11.07m |
*Note: Data from 2020 are currently based on estimates.
Source – H2 Gambling Capital
Offshore gambling statistics for sports betting from Kentucky can be found here.
Which Is Better – A Land-based or Online Casino?
Everyone who loves to gamble will have their own preference in game and betting style. Some people love the convenience of online casinos while others prefer the atmosphere from the real establishments. No matter what the reason, there are many benefits for players to try both out and see which one works best for them.
Land-based Casinos
Most states in the US will have a few tribal-owned and commercial casinos for a one-stop entertainment area that has plenty of games and betting options to keep players occupied for hours. Most casinos will have a good collection of classic casino games like slots, progressives, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and poker. The fun and interaction with the dealer and other players also add to the entertainment factor that brings players back again and again. Other great benefits to land-based casinos are the fact that they also offer a range of fine dining, stylish bars, and live shows. This creates a wonderfully vibrant atmosphere for socializing with friends.
Online Casinos
The most obvious benefit to online casinos is the absolute convenience of them. Players can access a full collection of casino-style games within seconds. No matter which game style players prefer, there are often several versions available for fun and challenges. Common Online Casino Games:
- Slots
- Progressives
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Craps
- Poker
- *Sports Betting (live and virtual)
*Although many progressive sites are beginning to introduce sports betting, there are many that do not. Also, many international online casinos have certain country restrictions that will either prevent them from registering to the site or prevent them from playing particular games like sports betting.
How to Find the Best Kentucky Online Casinos
With so many different online casinos available today, players will have to take the time to find the best sites to ensure they get the best gambling experience possible. With literally thousands of sites that cater to players from the US, it pays to think about certain factors before registering to the casino group.
Stick to Popular Casinos
As a new player, checking out some of the more popular online casino sites will set them on the right path to an enjoyable gambling experience. The top sites have to stay on top of the desirable game titles and keep the sites updated regularly. As a way to stay on top of the competition, casinos constantly look for ways to streamline the site, update the game options, and provide loyal members with amazing promotions and bonus offers.
User-friendly Design
A modern site designed to be user-friendly is important for players to have a good experience on the site. When new members join a casino, they will often want to join in a game as quickly and nothing could be more frustrating than a site design that makes it difficult to access particular game pages and information when they are needed.
Good Game Selection
Most online casinos try to have the biggest game collection possible, with several varieties to every game style. One thing that new players should consider before joining a group is that some casinos also prefer to focus more on one style and will have that game as the majority in the collection. This is especially true for sites that have a strong focus on slots over table games or sports betting. Players are encouraged to check out casino game pages to see exactly what is on offer for members. The games will either be grouped on one page or every game style will be separated into different dedicated pages. A quick look through the games collection will instantly let every player know if a site is even worth joining.
Good Customer Support
At one point or another, a player will need to contact customer support for help with gameplay, banking, or promotional offers. Although not every issue will be time-sensitive or incredibly important, to ensure they get good support when they need it most, a quick test is a great way to see what each site offers. Players should check out how many different ways there are to contact customer support and even test out the response time to see if the team is ready to help at any time. Many sites offer 24-hour support, but everyone should be aware that there will be times when heavy site traffic will affect response time.
How Can I Stay Safe Gambling for Real Money Online?
Joining an online casino is necessary to ensure every player has a secure account that only they can access. To do this, every new player has to go through a registration process that will require several pieces of identification and banking information. To ensure sensitive information is kept safe, it pays to be a part of a casino site that takes every precaution to keep member information secure at all times.
Keep Your Information Safe
There are a couple of ways to find out what type of security features a casino site has. The first place to check is the footer of the main page of the site. This location will often have SSL encryption and other third-party security names listed. If not in the footer, the site agreement/terms and conditions would have some security information listed (these pages are often located in the Help section of the site). If there is little information found on the site about what the group does to keep information safe, players can always contact customer support for more information. Should both avenues come up empty, then it would be time for players to consider joining a different group as this can be an indicator that the site does not have strong security protocols in place. While it is true that many sites will not divulge all of their security features to prevent hacking, they should have some information available to site members as a way to ease their minds about keeping their sensitive information safe.
FAQ
Players from the Bluegrass state will love the collection of games and betting options available at Bovada. A trusted name with a strong reputation, Bovada is one of the top options for online gambling.
Players who are looking to join an online casino site, they will have to register their information to create a valid account that confirms they are who they say they are. This registration is needed to confirm the player identity and personal banking information to avoid identity theft or any criminal activity.
In general, players will have to provide their current address, valid photo I.D. (driver’s license or state I.D.), and information for their preferred banking method.
Most online casinos will have a wide variety of banking options to make deposits and withdrawals quick and easy. For US players, bank transfers are prohibited, but third-party wire transfers are generally allowed. Other forms of banking that most players prefer to use are e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. As for the more progressive online casinos, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are now being accepted for even more convenience.
Players who want to participate in charitable gambling games like bingo, raffles, lottery, and pari-mutuel betting will have to be a minimum of 18 years of age. Players who are looking to gamble in casinos (land-based and online) will have to be 21 years old.
Every online casino will have a set amount for minimum deposits and maximum withdrawals. The same applies to the games it offers, with some capping much sooner than others. From all the top-earning casino games, progressive slots are among the favorite for most players since they often have uncapped winnings. It is not unlikely to have some games hit tens of millions or more.
