Discover Kentucky's Thriving Poker Scene and Gambling Laws

Kentucky, the mid-sized state right on the edge between the Midwestern and the Southern regions, is perhaps best known around the world for the fried chicken fast food chain named after it. It’s also kind of a hot spot for one specific form of gambling – horse race betting. The Kentucky Derby is a major event every year in America.

The first race tracks opened in 1875. These races and the state lottery (founded in 1989) have always been the only legal games of chance in the history of the state.

Throughout the early 20th Century, many underground gambling dens operated with great success. They were run by organized crime groups from neighboring Ohio. These, however, have now disappeared.

There is some hope on the way for Kentucky gamblers, though. In February 2021, the State House passed a bill that would legalize the so-called “historical horse racing machines”. These are essentially a type of slot machine. However, it determines the winners based on a previously-run horse race, not by an algorithm like regular slots.

For Kentuckian poker players, the best choice currently is to travel to nearby states, such as Indiana, Ohio, or West Virginia, with legal poker rooms. However, despite not having any legal poker, Kentucky has come up quite a few times in poker news lately.

The reason for this is that they’ve been chasing a massive $1.3 billion (!) fine from PokerStars. The fine was originally “just” $290 million when the suit was filed in 2010. It supposedly meant to collect damages caused by the biggest online poker room illegally operating in Kentucky from 2001. However, since Stars wasn’t willing to pony up, interest and delay fees ballooned the sum up to ten figures.

New developments keep getting reported on by major poker news sites from time to time. The latest ones aren’t looking good for Stars, and their new parent company, Flutter Entertainment. In April 2021, a Circuit Judge in Kentucky ruled that the state can seize the $100 million PokerStars have posted in bond during the lengthy legal battle.

Famous Kentuckian Poker Players

Kurt Jewell from the capital city of Frankfort, KY tops the Bluegrass State’s all time money list on Hendon, as of writing this. He has $1.594 million in live tournament cashes.

He has won two WSOP Circuit rings. The first WSOPC victory came in October 2010, when he finished first in the $1,600 Main Event at WSOPC Hammond in Hammond, Indiana. He pocketed no less than $242,909, which is the biggest single live tournament cash of his career to date. His second ring is from February 2012. He won the $1,600 Main Event at WSOPC Tunica for $192,984.

Second on that list is William Billy Kopp, aka “Patrolman35”. He has $1.255 million in live tournament earnings. In 2009, he made a deep run in the WSOP Main Event. He eventually busted in 12th place for $896,730.