Playing Poker in Kentucky

The state of Kentucky takes a tough stand on gambling. It's not just poker they dislike but in fact most forms of gambling except of course horse racing and the Kentucky Derby is one of the most wagered on races the world over. The Governor of Kentucky, Steve Beshear, also has no time for online gambling either stating that is is extremely detrimental to the states horse racing industry. Many online poker sites accept players from Kentucky and Americas Cardroom is a great option for them. For more on this and to see where you stand when playing poker in Kentucky keep reading.

Playing Home Games in Kentucky

It is possible to play or host a home poker game in Kentucky but there are some rules that you will need to be aware of. It is against the law in Kentucky to 'promote gambling', so first we need to look at what that means. Section 528.030 of the penal code state that, "A person is guilty of promoting gambling in the second degree when he knowingly advances or profits from unlawful gambling activity." So to avoid being prosecuted regarding this law, it's simple, just don't make a profit from the game. This means not charging a fee or raking the pot. This is a stance that is taken by many states however Kentucky does go into lots of detail into what is allowed, but the crux of the matter is that if you do not make a profit then you are fine.

Playing Online Poker in Kentucky

As mentioned above, Kentucky has a dislike for online gambling in general. It was one of the first states to attack online gambling and in fact seized many domain names including PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. Steve Beshar said at the time that, online poker sites and casinos are "leeches on our communities and unfairly undermine Kentucky's horse racing industry." That really does say it all regarding his stance on the matter. In total over 140 domain names were seized but most online poker rooms and casinos simply switched over their domain and carried on with business as usual. Kentucky may have taken an aggressive stance but it made no laws against online poker in the state and as there is no federal law against it then many residents regularly play online as such online poker rooms as Americas Cardroomand BetOnline Poker.

Playing in a Kentucky Casino

There are in fact no legal casinos in Kentucky as the same rules that apply to home games apply everywhere in that it is illegal to make a profit from gambling. This means that should anyone open a casino or poker room then they are in direct violation of the law. Kentucky does of course allow wagering on horse racing and there are a few charitable exceptions but apart from that then you will have to head across the state border to get you casino entertainment.