One of the country’s leading sportsbooks is taking its time when it comes to Kentucky.
DraftKings has yet to finalize its plans for Kentucky, which will launch retail sports betting on Sept. 7 and online sports betting three weeks later on Sept. 28. That’s according to a DraftKings spokesperson who emailed PlayKentucky on Tuesday.
“We are still pulling our plans together for Kentucky,” the spokesperson wrote.
So far, only Caesars Sportsbook (via Keeneland and Red Mile) and FanDuel (via Churchill Downs) have announced partnerships securing their spots in the Kentucky online sports betting marketplace.
Contenders for DraftKings’ partner in KY
DraftKings Sportsbook Kentucky will materialize in September. But, as of Tuesday, we still don’t know who its partner will be.
There are certainly contenders.
DraftKings is already partnered with Churchill Downs Inc. for its horse betting app, DK Horse. And a CDI spokesperson told PlayKentucky last week that it has applied for retail sports betting licenses for all of its established facilities in Kentucky. Including the soon-to-open Derby City Gaming in downtown Louisville and the future Ellis Park extension site in Daviess County, that’s eight licenses.
That CDI spokesperson also told PlayKentucky the company is “still in the process of finalizing a few of our online partner deals” — meaning FanDuel Sportsbook Kentucky won’t be CDI’s only partner.
Might there be room for DraftKings to join FanDuel as the partners of Kentucky’s unquestioned gambling giant?
Or, perhaps DraftKings is looking to remain independent from FanDuel in all ways. If that’s the case, the Boston-based operator may be in negotiations with Revolutionary Racing-owned Sandy’s Racing & Gaming in Ashland.
John Marshall, Revolutionary Racing’s President and COO, told PlayKentucky last week they had selected their sports betting partner and that it’s “a big name you would recognize.”
Earlier in June, Conor Lucas, Revolutionary Racing’s VP of government affairs, told PlayKentucky Sandy’s hoped to partner with one of “the big four” sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM).
Why DraftKings could lead Kentucky market
DraftKings is currently dominating FanDuel in Massachusetts, the most recent state to launch sports betting. And it could have a unique opportunity to lead the Kentucky market, too.
Why?
Because the legal sports betting age in Kentucky is 18.
Caesars Kentucky has already announced it will be 21-plus. BetMGM and FanDuel are expected to do the same.
But when PlayKentucky asked DraftKings if it would be 21-plus in Kentucky earlier this spring, this was its response:
“DraftKings is committed to following the age restrictions set forth by each individual jurisdiction.”
Yes, that’s leaving the door open for 18-plus betting on DraftKings in Kentucky, if you ask us. DraftKings currently allows 18-and-over bettors in New Hampshire and Wyoming.
