Kentucky Sports activities Betting Invoice Takes Key Step to Keep Alive This Session

The Kentucky sports activities betting invoice nonetheless has a shot at passing this yr. Senate Majority Chief Damon Thayer instructed reporters Tuesday morning that he plans on giving Home Invoice 606 first and second readings within the Senate. That’s earlier than that physique recesses for the Basic Meeting’s veto interval that begins on Thursday.

Kentucky state Rep. Adam Koenig (proper) appears at Senate Majority Ground Chief Damon Thayer Tuesday as each testify earlier than the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee on a invoice to reform pari-mutuel wagering and taxes. Thayer mentioned afterward that he would give Koenig’s separate sports activities betting invoice readings this week. (Picture: Kentucky Senate Majority/Twitter)

Thayer, R-Georgetown, and HB 606 sponsor state Rep. Adam Koenig, R-Erlanger, had been collectively Tuesday for a Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee assembly on HB 607. That’s a invoice to reform pari-mutuel wagering and taxes, and instructed reporters the information after that listening to.

I can let you know proper now that the votes aren’t there,” Thayer mentioned. “However I feel Chairman Koenig deserves a possibility to take one other run at it. As a result of I feel there are some individuals who nonetheless need to be taught extra about it.”

Thayer, although, is a supporter, and with out that help from a Senate chief, the invoice in all probability wouldn’t get that probability.

After adjourning Thursday evening, the Basic Meeting will return to Frankfort for the ultimate two days of the session beginning on April 13. Whereas these days will likely be used to override any vetoes issued by Gov. Andy Beshear, lawmakers can nonetheless cross laws eligible to be voted upon. Getting these readings within the Senate will imply it might solely want one different studying earlier than a vote.

Beshear campaigned on expanded gaming three years in the past, and would nearly definitely signal the invoice into legislation.

HB 606 would give sports activities betting licenses to the state’s racetracks, and permit on-line and retail sports activities betting. The invoice additionally would legalize on-line poker and regulate every day fantasy sports activities.

‘Clear the Decks’

HB 606 handed the Home by a 58-30 margin on March 18. That marked the primary time Koenig’s invoice ever obtained a vote on the chamber’s ground.

Final week, Koenig talked about his plan to speak with particular person senators and get their help. He labeled it “hand-to-hand fight” in an interview on The Weekly final week.

With a flurry of laws anticipated to cross in each the Senate and the Home Tuesday and Wednesday, Koenig mentioned he’s solely met with a few lawmakers since legislators returned from the weekend. The following couple of days seemingly is not going to give Koenig a lot of an opportunity to satisfy with lawmakers till the 13-day recess.

We’re going to be voting on a variety of payments,” Thayer mentioned. “We’re going to clear the decks of a variety of issues, and I feel folks will be capable of deal with it and he’ll have an opportunity to see if he can spherical up the votes.”

A survey carried out final month confirmed that almost two-thirds of these polled help legalizing sports activities betting. That help crosses each events, and it enjoys majority help amongst key Republican sectors within the state.

Kentucky is mainly surrounded by states which have legalized sports activities betting. Of the seven states bordering the Bluegrass State, solely Missouri has but to cross a invoice for sports activities betting, and lawmakers there are additionally contemplating taking that step this yr.

“It’s not even a partisan problem,” mentioned Koenig, who has filed a sports activities betting invoice within the Basic Meeting yearly for the reason that US Supreme Courtroom overturned PASPA almost 4 years in the past. “Whenever you take a look at us moving into 4 years from one state to 33 states which have legalized it. Democrat states, Republican states, doesn’t matter. It’s simply frequent sense to lots of people.”

Extra Gaming Payments Thought-about

HB 606 is only one of 4 gaming-related payments handed by the Home within the final two weeks and are at present being thought-about by the Senate.

Thayer and Koenig introduced House Bill 607 to the Senate committee on Tuesday. It will set the pari-mutuel wagering tax at 1.5 p.c throughout the board for bets positioned at tracks and simulcast facilities, by way of on-line advance-deposit accounts, and on historic horse racing machines. The state assesses the tax on the wager.

The invoice additionally caps funding for thoroughbred and standardbred racing growth funds. Meaning extra tax income would go to the state’s common fund. As well as, the invoice would eradicate breakage for reside racing. Breakage is the follow of rounding down wagers to 20-cent increments for a $2 guess. It’s a follow that dates again to pre-computerized occasions when it was more practical to pay bettors in even quantities. If the invoice passes, a 4-1 winner on a $2 guess, for instance, would payout at as much as $10.19 as an alternative of $10.

The Senate committee permitted an amended model of the invoice that changed the cap on the thoroughbred fund and accounted for an occupational tax problem. It’s anticipated to go earlier than the Senate earlier than the veto interval begins.

One other invoice which will go earlier than the Senate within the subsequent couple of days is House Bill 608. Sponsored by state Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Lexington, the invoice would ban gray machines or unregulated skill machines within the state. It handed the Home with simply 50 votes.

The ultimate gaming invoice within the Senate is House Bill 609. Additionally sponsored by Koenig, it might put aside $50 million to ascertain Kentucky’s first downside playing fund.

The funding would come from the $300 million settlement the state reached with PokerStars final yr to settle the decade-plus lawsuit the state filed for working on-line poker video games illegally within the state. After authorized charges, Kentucky obtained $225 million. Koenig initially proposed allocating the complete quantity for downside playing. Nonetheless, he accepted a ground modification on his invoice final week that lowered the quantity.

That invoice is at present within the Senate Appropriations and Income Committee.