Gambling was a major topic in a debate in Kentucky between Republican Governor Matt Bevin and his Democratic challenger, state Attorney General Andy Beshear.
Pro-gambling Beshear wants to expand gambling to keep tax revenue from flowing to neighboring states. He said he wants “new dedicated revenue” to come from casinos, sports betting, fantasy sports and online poker .
Beshear said, “We have to start with expanded gaming. We talk about being competitive while other states are eating our lunch. It’s Tennessee that just authorized sports betting. It’s Indiana and its casinos that have leached money off of us. We already lose $550 million in tax revenue from what Kentuckians bet in our border states in casinos. It’s time for casino gaming, it’s time to treat fantasy sports for what they are, it’s time for sports betting, and we need to prepare for online poker, which is coming.”
Tennessee recently authorized online/mobile sports betting, which is expected to launch in time for the Super Bowl. Indiana just launched online/mobile sports betting with two platforms and more expected to come online this fall. Several Indiana casinos with retail sportsbooks are located on Kentucky’s border. Also, Ohio is moving forward on sports betting.
Bevin said he might be open to allowing sports wagering at the state’s racetracks, especially if the tracks lose a legal challenge to offering historical racing machines. Previously Bevin had said, “Sports betting has happened since the dawn of time” and added that betting on horses isn’t much different.
Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul agreed. “We in Kentucky have been pretty accepting of betting on horses,” he said. “I don’t think betting on horses is different than betting on a slot machine or sports, so I’m pretty open to letting adults choose what they want to do.”
However, in late July, Bevin said, “Every night somewhere in America somebody takes their life in a casino because they’ve wasted the last semblance of dignity and hope that they had. Families are ruined, lives are ruined. There is a societal cost.”
American Gaming Association (AGA) President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Miller said the comments ”were patently false and irresponsible. Our industry commits hundreds of millions of dollars a year to address the very serious issue of problem gambling, ensuring that patrons have the tools they need to engage in our offerings in a responsible manner.”
But Bevin can’t be blamed for the state’s unsuccessful efforts to pass sports betting legislation in 2019, political observers say. Lawmakers from the more conservative and rural parts of Kentucky deserve credit for that. Former Democratic Governor Steve Beshear, Andy Beshear’s father, who served from 2007 to 2015, also was not able to pass legislation allowing casinos.
