Kentucky Rep. Adam Koenig Says Sports Betting An “Urban-Rural” Issue For The State

Sports betting in Kentucky has hit the ground running. A bill permitting sportsbooks at Kentucky horse racing tracks and the Kentucky Speedway has already gained unanimous approval from the committee. The next phase involves securing approval from the House.

Rep. Adam Koenig, the sponsor of the bill, is confident about its prospects in the House, but sees the Senate as a more challenging hurdle.

Koenig admitted in his conversation with Kentucky Sports Radio hosts this week that sports betting is often a divisive issue, particularly along urban and rural lines.

He explained, “This issue is related to both urban and rural areas. There are hardly any legislators in urban areas and the Golden Triangle who aren’t in support of this.”

Sportsbooks in KY are highly popular in the state’s Golden Triangle.

Koenig refers to the Golden Triangle as the area encompassed by Lexington, KY, Louisville, KY, and Cincinnati, OH. These three cities represent the urban centers of the state. The population within the triangle formed by these cities leans metropolitan. Consequently, the inhabitants are generally supportive of initiatives such as expanding gambling.

Lawmakers from rural and more impoverished regions of the state are concerned about the expansion of gambling in the Bluegrass State. These areas, generally more impoverished and conservative, tend to resist initiatives like gambling expansion, represented by both the population and their lawmakers.

Koenig admitted to KSR that the bill only permits existing horse racing tracks and the Kentucky Speedway in order to satisfy lawmakers from Eastern and Western Kentucky.

In Koenig's own words:

“When crafting laws, building coalitions is an essential part of the process. Specifically, people in rural areas have the ability to resist expansion if they face opposition. They can limit the new laws to areas where they are already implemented and to locations such as the Speedway in the Golden Triangle, which does not upset anyone.”

Registering in person satisfies rural legislators.

Koenig fails to mention that the majority of horse racing tracks are actually situated in the state’s metropolitan areas. Significant tracks are absent in the state’s eastern region. A few noteworthy facilities, such as Kentucky Downs and Ellis Park, are located in Western Kentucky. However, the majority of the prominent tracks are within the Golden Triangle.

This is where the requirement for in-person registration becomes applicable.

Rural lawmakers are not only failing to significantly expand gambling, but they are also approving a system that considerably complicates sports betting participation for their constituents. For instance, if Kentucky bettors are required to register at the track, the drive could take as long as two or three hours.

A provision that was altered from the initial bill relates to the in-person requirement. Originally, the bill had a permanent requirement for in-person registration. However, a new version of the bill revokes this requirement after 18 months.

Koenig shared his thoughts on the major amendment to his bill, which lifted the prohibition on college sports betting.

He told KSR, “That was included in last year’s bill. However, the most frequent grievance I encountered was the desire to place bets on UK, U of L, and others. As a result, we have now removed that limitation.”

Koenig is confident about the House vote, but not as confident about the Senate.

The upcoming progression for the Kentucky sports betting bill involves passing through the House and Senate. The positive update is that according to Koenig, Gov. Andy Beshear is already supportive of it.

“I had a meeting with the Governor and his team. He’s actively involved and has shown considerable support. He even mentioned it during his State of the Commonwealth address last week. So, there are absolutely no issues.”

Koenig is quite optimistic about the bill’s likelihood of passing in the House. However, he is more apprehensive about its fate in the Senate. His worries about the Senate are so profound that they surface even when he is discussing the House.

Koenig explained, “I’m confident about our prospects in the House. Currently, our focus is on maximizing our votes. It’s crucial to gather as many ‘yes’ votes as possible to ensure it reaches the Senate, which will further bolster our chances. During a budget year, it’s comparatively easier to get it passed when the $22.5 million can be used to address some deficiencies.”

Appeal to residents of Kentucky to back the cause.

Jones from KSR is already assisting Koenig in spreading the news about sports betting in the Commonwealth. He’s even leveraging his immense social media presence to disseminate the information.

As Kentucky attempts to garner support, the competition might be a concern for Indiana sportsbooks. However, due to the mandatory in-person registration, Kentucky’s contention with its northern neighbors appears to be a good two or three years away.

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Jessica Welman

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