Find Your Favourite Kentucky Casinos and Resorts 2026

Kentucky's gambling framework is built on a single legal foundation: pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing. Pari-mutuel is the system used in traditional horse racing where bettors wager against each other rather than against the house. All bets go into a shared pool, the operator takes a percentage, and the remainder is divided among the winners. The state has no casino licences, no tribal gaming compacts, and no slot machine legislation. What it does have is a creative legal interpretation of that pari-mutuel framework that has produced one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the country.

Historical horse racing machines, known as HHR terminals, are the centrepiece of that market. They look and play almost identically to slot machines, with themed cabinets, spinning reels, and bonus features. The difference is in how outcomes are determined. Rather than a random number generator, each spin is tied to the result of a real horse race randomly selected from a database of tens of thousands of previously run events. Because the wager is technically placed on a horse race and multiple players bet into a shared pool, the machines are classified as pari-mutuel wagering under Kentucky law rather than casino gaming.

The legal path to get there was not straightforward. The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2020 that HHR machines did not qualify as pari-mutuel wagering under the existing definition. The state legislature responded the following year by passing Senate Bill 120, which redefined pari-mutuel wagering to explicitly include HHR. The machines have operated legally and expanded rapidly ever since. More than $10.5 billion was wagered on HHR terminals in Kentucky during the 2025 fiscal year, a figure that places the state on a par with many traditional casino markets.

The minimum age to use HHR terminals is 21. All 13 licensed venues are regulated by the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation, which was established in 2024 to oversee the state's expanded gambling framework including horse racing, HHR, and sports betting.

Kentucky's 13 licensed HHR venues range from large, hotel-equipped gaming destinations to compact satellite halls serving local communities. All are attached to or operate under the licence of a Kentucky horse racing track.

Churchill Downs Incorporated

• Derby City Gaming, Louisville: The flagship CDI gaming venue, six miles from Churchill Downs itself, with more than 1,300 HHR terminals, a 123-room hotel, dining, and a retail sportsbook.
• Derby City Gaming Downtown, Louisville: A more compact CDI venue in the heart of downtown Louisville, serving the city centre market.
• Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel, Oak Grove: Full-service destination near Fort Campbell with 1,200 HHR terminals, a hotel, multiple restaurants, bars, an outdoor amphitheatre, and live harness racing.
• Turfway Park Racing and Gaming, Florence: A $145 million redevelopment of the historic Turfway thoroughbred track in northern Kentucky, with more than 800 HHR terminals and an eight-story hotel. Hosts live winter thoroughbred racing December through March.
• Newport Racing and Gaming, Newport: Satellite HHR facility operating under the Turfway Park licence, serving the greater Cincinnati area just across the Ohio River.
• Ellis Park Racing and Gaming, Henderson: Historic thoroughbred track on the Ohio River with an HHR gaming floor and live summer racing.
• Owensboro Racing and Gaming, Owensboro: Opened early 2025 as an extension of the Ellis Park licence, with 600 HHR terminals, retail sports wagering, and dining.

Kentucky Downs / Mint Gaming

• Kentucky Downs, Franklin: The anchor property of the Mint Gaming operation, with more than 1,000 HHR terminals near the Tennessee border. Pays the highest average daily purses in North America due to HHR revenue.
• Mint Gaming Hall, Bowling Green: Satellite facility with around 450 terminals near Greenwood Mall.
• Mint Gaming Hall, Williamsburg: Satellite facility with around 450 terminals off Interstate 75.
• Mint Gaming Hall, Corbin: Satellite facility attached to the Cumberland Run harness track.

Independent Operators

• The Red Mile, Lexington: The second-oldest harness racing track in the world, established 1875, with one of the largest HHR floors in the state, live harness racing, and a Caesars retail sportsbook.
• Sandy's Racing and Gaming, Ashland: HHR venue in eastern Kentucky operating under a BetMGM retail sportsbook partnership.

Kentucky was one of the more anticipated sports betting launches in the country given the state's deep roots in wagering culture. Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 551 into law on March 31, 2023, after five consecutive years of failed attempts to pass legislation. Retail betting launched at licensed tracks and gaming venues on September 7, 2023, with online betting following three weeks later on September 28, timed to coincide with the NFL season.

The licensing structure runs through Kentucky's nine licensed horse racing tracks, each of which can partner with up to three sportsbook operators. Active online operators include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, Fanatics, and Circa Sports. Retail sportsbooks operate at venues including Churchill Downs, Derby City Gaming, the Red Mile, and Oak Grove, among others.

The tax structure applies a 9.75% rate on retail wagering revenue and 25% on online revenue. A portion of tax proceeds is directed to Kentucky's pension fund. The minimum age for sports betting is 18 under state law, though several major operators including BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and Fanatics enforce a 21 minimum in line with their policies in other states. Unlike some other states, there are no restrictions on college sports betting and no prohibition on betting on in-state college teams.

Kentucky's gaming venues are not casinos in any traditional sense, and a first visit can feel unfamiliar to anyone used to a conventional casino floor. The machines look like slot machines and play like slot machines, but the legal and mechanical framework underneath is different. Understanding that going in makes the experience considerably more straightforward.

Getting There

The venues are spread across the state, with the heaviest concentration in Louisville and northern Kentucky. Derby City Gaming in Louisville is the largest and most visited, six miles from Churchill Downs and minutes from Louisville International Airport. Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel is the best-equipped destination property, near Fort Campbell in the southwestern corner of the state. The Red Mile in Lexington is the most historically significant, sitting in the heart of the Bluegrass region. Turfway Park in Florence serves the greater Cincinnati market just across the Ohio River. For visitors to eastern Kentucky, Sandy's Racing and Gaming in Ashland is the nearest option.

Arrival and Entry

The minimum age across all Kentucky HHR venues is 21, and photo identification is required at entry. Most properties operate around the clock. Parking is free at all venues.

The Gaming Floor

All Kentucky HHR venues offer terminals that play identically to slot machines, with a wide range of themes, denominations, and bonus features. The key difference is that outcomes are determined by the results of historical horse races rather than a random number generator, though this is not visible or apparent during normal play. Most venues also offer simulcast wagering on live horse races from tracks across the country, available at dedicated betting windows or self-service terminals. There are no live table games and no poker rooms at any Kentucky venue.

Sports Betting

Retail sportsbooks are available at several venues including Churchill Downs, Derby City Gaming, the Red Mile, and Oak Grove. These operate as conventional sportsbooks where visitors can place bets on professional and college sports in person. Mobile betting is available statewide through licensed apps.

Taking a Break

Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel is the standout for dining, with a signature steakhouse voted best in the Clarksville area, a food court, multiple bars and lounges, and an outdoor amphitheatre. Derby City Gaming offers casual dining and a bar. The Red Mile has several on-site dining options including Frankie's Bar and Grill. Kentucky Downs in Franklin, near the Tennessee border, is worth noting for racing enthusiasts as it pays the highest average daily purses in North America thanks to HHR revenue, and its short live racing meet each September draws some of the most competitive fields in the country.

Staying Over

Three venues offer hotel accommodation. Derby City Gaming in Louisville has a 123-room hotel convenient for airport access. Oak Grove Racing, Gaming and Hotel has a full-service hotel with five-star ratings and an RV park. Turfway Park completed a $145 million redevelopment that includes an eight-story hotel alongside the HHR gaming floor and live winter thoroughbred racing.

Free, confidential support for problem gambling is available in Kentucky around the clock by calling 1-800-GAMBLER. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation requires all licensed venues to provide responsible gaming resources and signage, and self-exclusion is available statewide.

Kentucky's self-exclusion programme covers all licensed HHR venues and sports wagering operators. Individuals can apply to exclude themselves for a set period or on a permanent basis. Once enrolled, self-excluded individuals are prohibited from collecting any winnings at Kentucky gaming facilities. Applications can be made in person at any licensed venue or through the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation directly.

Legal Disclaimer

This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Gambling laws and gaming operations in Kentucky are subject to change, and some details on this page could not be independently verified. We recommend checking directly with individual venues and the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation before making any decisions based on the information provided.