You can use a Visa or MasterCard credit card to buy coins at all the leading online casino options in Kentucky. Many accept Discover, American Express, and Diners Club too.
Kentucky Online Casinos
Kentucky online casinos are not legal. The Bluegrass State has already legalized most forms of online gambling, but legislators are not currently considering any online casino bills.
However, players in Kentucky can still enjoy online slots, virtual table games, and live dealer games at sites like High 5 Casino, Pulsz, and McLuck. These sites allow you to play games for fun, and you can also legally redeem premium coins for cash prizes.
This page rounds up the best Kentucky online casino options and discusses the current legal situation for online gambling.
Our top recommended online casinos in Kentucky
These are the best online casinos for Kentucky players. They are social and sweepstakes casinos.
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Online gambling in Kentucky snapshot
Kentucky permits most forms of online gambling, but the state has not passed legislation that would permit traditional online casinos or poker rooms to launch.
Type of Gambling | Status | Gambling Age |
Online casino | Unavailable | Likely 18 |
Sweepstakes casino | Available | 18 |
Social casino | Available | 18 |
Online lottery | Available | 18 |
Online poker | Unavailable | Likely 18 |
Online sports betting | Available | 18 |
Online horse racing | Available | 18 |
Daily fantasy sports | Available | 18 |
Latest Kentucky gambling news
- Sept. 13, 2024 – Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, in a strongly worded letter, targeted a type of gaming machine meant to circumvent state law called “risk-free play.”
- July 8, 2024 – Skill games in Kentucky won’t be legalized anytime soon, as Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled to keep the games illegal.
- Feb. 22, 2024 – Through the first partial month and first three full months of legal betting in Kentucky, nearly $900 million was wagered in the state.
- Jan. 24, 2024 – Jake Paul-backed Betr announced plans to launch an online sportsbook in Kentucky this year, along with Indiana and Colorado. Betr will launch an online casino and sportsbook in Pennsylvania.
- Jan. 19, 2024 – The Kentucky Lottery announced that a $1 million winning Powerball ticket went unclaimed, ending a saga that started last July.
- Jan. 4, 2024 – The Kentucky Lottery recently announced that the winner of a $1 million Powerball ticket has until Jan. 12 to cash in the ticket.
- Dec. 11, 2023 – Gov. Andy Beshear reports that more than $656 million has been wagered since sports betting launched in Kentucky on Sept. 7.
- Oct. 27, 2023 – IGT Global Solutions has announced an extension of both of its contracts with the Kentucky Lottery until 2036.
- Oct. 25, 2023 – The Kentucky Lottery has agreed to a four-year extension with Scientific Games to continue offering its digital CRM services.
- Oct. 24, 2023 – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says that people in the state have bet almost $250 million since legal sportsbooks opened.
- Oct. 12, 2023 – A new white paper about Kentucky sports betting says the state needs to ensure that its messaging around responsible gambling is effective for people ages 18-20 more than any other state. You can find the report here.
- Sept. 29, 2023 – Circa Sports signed a licensing agreement with ECL Corbin’s Cumberland Run harness track to enter the Kentucky sports betting market.
- Sept. 28, 2023 – Legal online sports betting in Kentucky is officially underway as seven licensed sportsbooks commenced their business in the state at 6 a.m.
- Sept. 25, 2023 – In anticipation of the Thursday launch of online sports betting, five of the licensed online sportsbooks have been accepting account registrations.
- Sept. 22, 2023 – Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said residents have so far gambled $4.5 million on sporting events at physical sportsbooks.
- Sept. 21, 2023 – Caesars Sportsbook has begun accepting account registrations in its app, offering $100 in bonus bets upon launch to those who sign up early.
- Sept. 7, 2023 – Kentucky land-based sportsbooks started taking in-person wagers around the state and Gov. Andy Beshear got in on kicking off the action.
- Sept. 6, 2023 – With Kentucky launching in-person sports betting on Sept. 7 and online sports betting on Sept. 28, Caesars Sportsbook is live for pre-registration with a new customer offer.
- Aug. 31, 2023 – The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council submitted its recommendations for an initial catalog of allowable events for wagering.
- Aug. 30, 2023 – BetMGM has become the fourth online sportsbook in Kentucky accepting early account registrations.
Legal online casino options in Kentucky
Social and sweepstakes casinos are legal for players aged 18 or older in Kentucky. There are no upper prize limits if you play with premium coins. These are the best apps and websites for anyone that wants to play online casino games in Kentucky.
WOW Vegas
WOW Vegas is the best app for Kentucky casino players. The app holds an average user rating of 4.9 stars on the App Store and 4.5 stars on Google Play. You can play more than 1,000 slots from a wide range of providers at the WOW Vegas app or the website, and there are lots of WOW Vegas casino bonuses and promotions too.
High 5 Casino
High 5 Casino is an established online casino option for players in Kentucky. The site has been available in the Bluegrass since 2013, and it now offers more than 800 slots and a strong range of live dealer games. There is also a High 5 Casino app, which you can download through Google Play or the App Store.
Pulsz
Pulsz is another high-quality option for anyone that enjoys online slots in Kentucky, with more than 800 games from providers such as NetEnt and Pragmatic Play. You can also enjoy a selection of exclusive online scratchcards, blackjack, Casino Hold’em, keno, and arcade-style games such as Classic Mines, Triple Plinko, and Classic Dice. Once again, there is an app or a website, and Pulsz offers a strong sign-up bonus too.
Chumba Casino
Chumba Casino offers a smaller range of slots than WOW Vegas, Pulsz, and High 5, but many of them are exclusive. There is also a live bingo room, and you can play classic blackjack, video poker, or casino solitaire too. Chumba Casino has a large social media community too, and you will often find details of competitions and prize draws if you follow Chumba on Facebook or Instagram.
McLuck
McLuck is one of the newest online casino options in Kentucky, but it already offers a better range of games than most established competitors. There are hundreds of slots from highly-rated providers, which you can play via the app or website, along with a few live dealer games. McLuck has several progressive jackpot slots, so it is a great option for Kentuckians that enjoy those games. Claim the McLuck welcome promos to enjoy free play on many of their games.
Pros and cons to sweepstakes and social casinos in Kentucky
Sweepstakes casinos and social casinos are the best options for Kentuckians that want to play online slots and table games. They offer many benefits, but we have also listed some potential drawbacks to these sites.
- Apps like WOW Vegas and High 5 Casino host more games than traditional online casinos in West Virginia.
- Most Kentuckians find it far more convenient to play at these sites as opposed to driving into West Virginia.
- It is legal for players aged 18 or older to redeem cash prizes at these sites in Kentucky.
- Some leading software providers do not supply social casinos, so you cannot play games from IGT or Light & Wonder.
- The customer service options can be limited at some social and sweeps casinos in Kentucky.
- The prize redemption process can take a few business days at some sites, although some offer instant redemptions.
Are online casinos legal in Kentucky?
No, traditional online casinos are not legal in Kentucky. However, it is legal for anyone aged 18 or older to play games at social and sweepstakes casino sites and apps, like Fortune Wheelz and High 5 Casino.
Subtitle 304.12-092 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes explains that there must be “no participation cost to entrants.” Sweepstakes must also focus on random games of chance and not on games of skill. In fact, a recent court ruling has affirmed that pure skill games are illegal under law.
Kentucky sweepstakes law essentially means that you cannot buy premium coins at sites like WOW Vegas, Jackpota, and FunzCity Casino. You can only earn them for free via promotions or when you buy regular coins. They can be used on games of chance, such as slots and blackjack, and if you win, you can redeem them for cash prizes.
Will Kentucky legalize online casinos in the future?
Kentucky may decide to legalize traditional online casinos in the future. Players are currently driving into West Virginia to play at traditional online casinos, and legislators may ultimately decide that it is better to keep those tax dollars in the state. Kentucky could receive a financial boost from online casino license fees and taxes, so it may appeal to some lawmakers.
The Bluegrass State’s legal gambling industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Online sports betting began in September 2023, and Kentuckians can also use online racebooks and fantasy sports apps. Kentucky is also one of 13 states with a state-regulated online lottery platform. The KY Lottery app allows you to buy tickets for drawings, but you can also play a range of instant games.
Legalizing online casinos and poker rooms would be the next logical step. However, no online casino bills are under consideration right now. Representatives Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson and Rachel Roberts introduced HB 106, an online poker bill, in 2023, but it did not gain enough support. Both the Kentucky House and the Senate would need to approve an online casino bill, and Gov. Andy Beshear would then need to sign it into law.
The case for legalizing online casinos would be stronger if more neighboring states introduce them. There have been concerted efforts to legalize casino apps in Indiana, so Kentucky may feel compelled to follow suit if they arrive in the Hoosier State.
What online casino games are available in Kentucky?
Sites like High 5 Casino, Pulsz, Stake.us, and McLuck offer similar games to the best US online casinos in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan. These are the different categories to consider.
Kentucky retail casinos & cardrooms
There are no commercial casinos or tribal casinos in Kentucky. However, several venues host historic horse machines, which are similar to slots, on the grounds of horse racing tracks. These are the most popular sites to visit.
Why you should choose a legal online casino option in Kentucky
Legal sites and apps like WOW Vegas, Pulsz, and High 5 Casino comply with Kentucky’s consumer protection regulations. They are designed to ensure you receive a fair, secure, and reliable online gaming experience.
If you play at unregulated casinos, you will not be covered by any state or federal consumer protection laws. These unregulated sites are based overseas, and they have not been granted permission to operate in the US, but they still try to attract Kentuckians with large bonuses, which are often too good to be true.
Many American players have been cheated at unregulated sites, which often run bait-and-switch bonus scams or host rigged games, and others have fallen victim to security breaches. We recommend avoiding unregulated sites and sticking to legal online casino options in Kentucky instead.
Online casino payment options in Kentucky
Apps like WOW Vegas and High 5 Casino do not accept traditional deposits. However, you can buy coins if you like, and they also give you the opportunity to redeem premium Sweeps Coins for cash prizes. These are the payment options at your disposal in Kentucky.
Skrill Casinos
Skrill is one of the most commonly available payment methods at Kentucky online casino options. You can use it to purchase coins and to redeem cash prizes.
All Banking Options
Additional banking options include debit card payments, online banking, Apple Pay, or instant bank transfers. Just bear in mind that the list of payment methods will vary from one site to the next.
Responsible gambling in Kentucky
The Kentucky Lottery site includes a detailed responsible gambling page, which provides tips on how to stay safe. Players are advised to set a reasonable spending limit and stick to it. The page also busts myths and provides warning signs that could indicate a gambling problem.
This advice also applies to anyone that participates in sweepstakes, bets on sports, plays historic horse machines, or enters fantasy sports contests in Kentucky. If you are struggling to gamble responsibly, the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling can help. The site provides a list of local counselors, and it can also refer you to Gamblers Anonymous and supply you with educational materials.
Additional resources include the Kentucky Gambling Help site and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Problem Gambling Program. Kentuckians can also access nationwide problem gambling support services. Call 1-800-GAMBLER for immediate help or visit GamTalk to access a chat room.
Kentucky online casinos FAQ
Yes, you can legally redeem cash prizes at sweepstakes and social casinos in Kentucky. They offer premium coins, which are redeemable for prizes if you win. These sites and apps comply with Kentucky sweepstakes law, so they are perfectly legal for players aged 18 or older.
You can play online slots, virtual table games, video poker, and live dealer games such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat in Kentucky. Some sites and apps host variety games too, including bingo, keno, Slingo, scratchcards, crash games, minesweeper games, and so on.
Yes, Kentucky residents aged 21 or older can drive over the border and play at traditional online casinos in West Virginia. However, this is only practical and convenient for players in the east of the state. Most Kentuckians, including players in large cities like Louisville and Lexington, will find it easier to play at sites like WOW Vegas and Pulsz.
In Kentucky, you must be 18 or older to bet on sports, enter fantasy sports contests, place pari-mutuel bets, buy lottery tickets, play online lottery games, participate in sweepstakes, or play charity bingo. The legal age for playing historic horse machines is also 18, as it technically involves pari-mutuel betting, but some parlors require you to be 21 or older.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission regulates gambling in Kentucky. The commission oversees pari-mutuel betting, sports betting, and historic horse machines. There is a Department of Charitable Gaming for games like charity bingo, and the Kentucky Lottery Corporation oversees the state lottery.
Kentucky has never passed legislation permitting commercial casinos. There are no tribal casinos either, as the Bluegrass State does not have any federally recognized tribes. However, several horse racing tracks now host large gambling parlors featuring historic horse machines, which are similar to slot machines.
Kentucky casino players also liked
We highlighted the top five online casino options for players in Kentucky earlier. If you are still looking for high-quality, reputable sites, here are some other options that have proved popular in the Bluegrass State. They all offer regular coins and premium coins, which are redeemable for prizes if you win.
Funzpoints Casino
- Fast sign-up process and simple interface.
- Hosts exclusive slots and keno games.
Funzpoints is a simple online casino option for players in Kentucky. You can access around 20 exclusive slots when you sign up, and another 70 games will be unlocked if you make a purchase. There is a no-purchase welcome bonus for new players, and you will also receive a 100% first purchase bonus if you decide to buy coins.
Stake.us Casino
- Broadest range of games for Kentucky players.
- Loads of bonuses and promotions available.
Stake.us is a polished site that allows Kentucky players to enjoy hundreds of slots from 19 different providers, plus live dealer games, virtual table games, video poker, scratchcards, and arcade-style games. You can play the games with regular Gold Coins or premium Stake Cash, which is redeemable for crypto prizes if you complete a 3x wagering requirement. The no-purchase bonus includes 250,000 Gold Coins and $25 in Stake Cash.
Chanced Casino
- Large range of live dealer games available.
- Hosts hundreds of slots from multiple providers.
Chanced Casino has the largest range of live dealer games for players in Kentucky. It includes French roulette, European roulette, auto roulette, baccarat, and various blackjack games. You can also play hundreds of quality video slots at this modern site, plus variety games and virtual table games. Plus, the Chanced Casino welcome bonus is a great way to test out their many games.
Sweeptastic
- Best site for fans of dice games in Kentucky.
- Detailed rewards program with 21 levels.
Sweeptastic is the best site for anyone in Kentucky that enjoys dice games. You can play Sic Bo, Sic Bo Macau, Scratch Dice, Rocket Dice, and Rocket Dice XY. There are lots of card games, slots, and casual games too, and Sweeptastic also has a strong welcome bonus and a very comprehensive loyalty program.
LuckyLand Slots
- Exclusive slots with impressive graphics and features.
- Large no-purchase welcome bonus available.
LuckyLand Slots provides all new players with 7,777 Gold Coins and 10 free Sweeps Coins upon registration. The Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash prizes if you win. LuckyLand focuses on exclusive slots, many of which have large, progressive jackpots, and it offers a wide variety of bonuses.
Vegas Gems
- New online casino option with lots of bonuses.
- Hosts popular slots and a range of casual games.
Vegas Gems is one of the newest online casino options to launch in Kentucky. The site stands out by offering unique bonuses, which take the form of mystery chests, and it also offers a sleek interface, and a strong range of slots and casual games.