{"id":5507,"date":"2023-01-31T15:50:20","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T15:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10pokersites.net\/?page_id=5507"},"modified":"2024-02-15T15:46:06","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T15:46:06","slug":"legal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.top10pokersites.net\/top-10-us-poker-sites\/kentucky\/legal","title":{"rendered":"Legal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Kentucky is one of the most anti-gambling states in the US<\/b>. Legal gambling in Bluegrass State is limited to horse racing, charitable gambling, and the lottery. More popular forms such as sports betting, casino gambling, and poker cannot be found through any legal channels, neither online nor in land-based establishments.<\/p>\n
However, this doesn\u2019t quite mean you can\u2019t play Texas Hold\u2019em, Omaha, and other poker games while in Kentucky. To better understand how to play poker in KY<\/b>, we must look at what is \u2014 and, more importantly, what isn\u2019t \u2014 written in the state\u2019s law books.<\/p>\n In a nutshell, online poker is not officially legal in Kentucky<\/b>.<\/p>\n All you need to know about the legality of gambling in Kentucky can be found in Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapters 230 and 528.<\/p>\n Said chapters define gambling as \u201cstaking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest or game based upon an element of chance.\u201d <\/i>As such, the activity is illegal, with exceptions to pari-mutuel wagering on horse races, charitable gambling, and the state lottery.<\/p>\n Online and land-based poker are not explicitly mentioned in these Revised Statutes, but since poker is, in part, \u201ca contest or game based upon an element of chance<\/i>,\u201d playing it can be viewed as an illegal activity.<\/p>\n Furthermore, running a poker website or a physical casino is punishable by law, which is why there are no officially licensed poker rooms in Kentucky<\/b>.<\/p>\n Still, many players from Kentucky regularly visit offshore poker sites<\/b>. Of course, being operated abroad, these sites are not legal either, but there are no defined punishments for those who play on them.<\/p>\n This puts the status of online poker in Kentucky in legal limbo \u2014 it is technically illegal to play, but you can do so on foreign websites without facing any punishment<\/b>.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, please remember that you should not take our overview of Kentucky poker laws as legal advice. If you are still deciding whether to play online poker in Kentucky, you should consult your lawyer.<\/p>\n The below links lead to two of the main sets of legal documents regarding gambling in Kentucky:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Despite being illegal, poker is a favorite card game for many people from Kentucky who find ways to play it daily. We will now revise all available land-based and online options for playing poker in the state.<\/p>\n There are no licensed poker sites in Kentucky and, therefore, no legal options for playing the popular card game over the internet.<\/p>\n Be that as it may, like in many other states with an unregulated online gambling market, online poker in Kentucky is in a legal gray area<\/b>, allowing you to access offshore poker sites from Kentucky and play for real money worry-free.<\/p>\n The laws don\u2019t mention online poker specifically, so playing it can be left to legal interpretation. What\u2019s crucial is that you, as a player, won\u2019t get into trouble when playing poker on offshore sites in Kentucky<\/b>.<\/p>\n Even national laws that aim to prevent the use of offshore poker sites typically target operators instead of players.<\/p>\n Of course, it would be much easier for Kentucky poker players if the state legalized online poker and issued licenses to some of the best poker platforms in the world.<\/p>\n In 2019, House Bill 175<\/a> aimed to expand gambling in Kentucky to sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and poker, but it failed. In all likelihood, online poker won\u2019t get legalized in KY for at least another few years.<\/p><\/div>\nMy list of the best poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2024:<\/strong><\/i> Is Online Poker Legal in Kentucky?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Poker Laws<\/h3>\n
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<\/i> Best Legal Poker Rooms in Kentucky<\/span><\/h2>\n
Legal Online Poker in Kentucky<\/h3>
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