Supporters of a Bill that would have legalised online sports betting and gaming has failed to make it past the committee stage on the final day of the state’s legislative session for 2022. The Bill had been referred to the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, & Labour but it never came up for a vote.
A separate Bill, calling for the creation of a problem gambling initiative in the state, funded by $50m from a $300m settlement with PokerStars, also failed to get past a Senate committee.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer said that he and other supporters of online sports betting and gaming in Kentucky simply could not secure enough votes, with the ‘undecideds’ reportedly all swinging to ‘No’ on the final count. “I am disappointed,” said Senator Thayer. “I am for sports betting, and I want to make it clear that I did everything I could to get it passed, but I can’t force people to vote ‘Yes’ on something that they are opposed to.”
