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FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The legalization of sports betting in Kentucky has been a battle in legislation for years.
Republican Representative, Adam Koenig, is hoping four gaming related bills filed Monday will have a better response from fellow legislators this time around.
The first bill would be to legalize sports wagering…according to Koenig six of seven bordering states have legalized sports betting: Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and now Ohio.
“We can either bury our heads in the sand and tell people they are not grown adults and can’t make these decisions or like I’ve said we give them the opportunity to do so, we tax it, we regulate it and we make sure its done above boarding and give people the protections from their government that they deserve” said Koenig.
The second is the Para-mutual Modernization Bill, to generate more revenue and make the horse racing commission self sufficient.
Representative Koenig says he wants to make all wagers on Para-mutual betting the same. So if you bet through the Twin Spires app, through a historical horse racing machine or in-person at a race, as it’s happening, It would all be taxed at one and a half percent.
The bill would also pay the better to the penny, instead of in 20-cent increments.
“It will also make Kentucky the most attractive place for horse players to come and bet all across North America” added Koenig.
According to Koenig, altogether, the proposed tax changes would bring an additional $20 million dollars a year, after a few years in effect.
The third bill is the ‘Gray Machine’ bill that would go after skill games. Republican Representative Killian Timoney is co sponsoring the bill.
According to Koenig and Timoney, the bill will state that if a machine is not expressly made legal by charitable gaming, by the lottery, or by the racing commission, they are not legal and can be prosecuted.
“One message that we are going to send clearly with this bill is that dealing with Kentucky, particularly with gaming, is asking for forgiveness instead of permission is something that we don’t like” said Timoney.
The final bill seeks to create a trust fund to promote awareness of gambling addiction and resources for those who may need treatment.
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