Kentucky’s one-year budget leaves sports betting out

The Kentucky General Assembly approved Wednesday a budget a one-year package (H.B. 352) that casts aside proposals to reap revenue from sports betting.

Senate President Robert Stivers (R) said even the most conservative projections reached in December 2020, which he called “pessimistic,” probably won’t account for the loss in revenue the state will see from the economic havoc wreaked by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg Tax reports.

"If you really think about what we’re doing, we’re taking a total shot in the dark," Stivers said during floor debate Wednesday. "Our current-year revenues of $11.6 billion are going to be lucky to hit $11.4 billion—that means it’s $200 million already that this budget is short."

The accompanying revenue bill (H.B. 351) includes $50 million in new revenue through a tax on vaping products. But some Democratic critics of the package said the state was wrong to leave behind proposals to increase revenue from sports betting (H.B. 137), expanding gambling licenses to casinos, and eventually, to tax sales of recreational marijuana.

Stivers said sports betting wouldn’t have been a boon to the state, regardless, because sporting events have closed because of the health crisis; and racing tracks, where bets would have been placed, are shuttered due to state emergency orders.

On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has said he was in favor of the Legislature’s plan to pass a one-year budget so lawmakers can go home and practice social distancing. He’s expected to sign House Bill 351 and House Bill 352. He’s also expected to issues line-item vetoes to House Bill 352, which super-majorities in the House and Senate are expected to override.