A lawmaker pushing the newest Kentucky sports betting bill says it is a good bet to pass this year, but it still faces long odds. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that states could legalize sports betting, and so far seven states have done it. Rep. Adam Koenig argues Kentucky should not be late to the game. He has sponsored House Bill 175 to legalize sports betting, online poker and fantasy sports. Koenig testified about the bill during a meeting of the House Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations, which he chairs. “You can bet on sports on this…

Kentucky lawmakers want a piece of the U.S. sports betting pie after the country’s highest tribunal repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, according to the Kentucky Public Radio. A bi-partisan panel, consisting of six members of the state House of Representatives and three members of the Senate, has been formed to draft and file legislation to implement legal sports betting in Kentucky. Some of the members of the bi-partisan panel were among the lawmakers who pushed for regulation of sports betting in Kentucky in 2017. Sen. Julian Carroll was the first to propose legalizing the…

The daily fantasy sports industry apparently will not be getting the legal clarity and regulation it desires in the Bluegrass State, at least for now. The bill there — H 414 — sought to establish a legal footing for paid-entry fantasy sports and regulation of companies offering them, like the biggest DFS operators, DraftKings and FanDuel. The bill actually garnered a majority of votes in the House — with a 37-36 margin. However, the bill did not reach the 40-vote threshold required to advance to the state Senate. (A bill must be approved by two-fifths of the 100 members in…

Canadian gaming giant Amaya has filed a notice of appeal against a Kentucky court order to pay $870 million (€794 million) in damages for subsidiary PokerStars’ allegedly illegal operations in the US state between 2006 and 2011. Amaya said that it has filed a $100 million supersedeas bond to stay enforcement of the order “during the pendency of the appeals process”. Amaya added that it will “continue to vigorously challenge the trial court’s order”. “In late January, pursuant to and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the merger agreement governing the acquisition of the PokerStars business, a subsidiary…

Breaking reports from Kentucky-based news outlets have revealed that a county-level circuit judge issued a massive $290 million judgment last month against PokerStars and its current parent, Canada-based Amaya Gaming, as part of an ongoing case brought by a private firm representing the state’s interests against PokerStars and other offshore sites who once serviced Kentucky players. Local news reports confirm that Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate awarded the $290 million judgment against several defendants, including Amaya Group Holdings and a subsidiary connected to Stars or Full Tilt operations on Nov. 20.  The state brought its action against the original Full Tilt, PokerStars,…

Courier Journal – Support for a constitutional amendment on casino gambling appears to be waning, even among those who are for it. Champions of casino gambling aren’t saying much, although the issue is unlikely to disappear completely from debate without being put on the ballot. The reasons are varied: • More racetracks are embracing the slot-like Instant Racing game as an alternative to casinos. The Kentucky Equine Education Project, once the leader of the horse industry’s pro-casino effort, spending about $1.4 million during the 2006 legislative session alone, says it is focused on other issues — though it remains pro-casino…