Compare / Ohio vs. Kentucky
Ohio vs. Kentucky: gambling compared
Both Ohio and Kentucky have online sports betting, in-person sports betting, state lotteries and paid daily fantasy sports. Ohio also has commercial casino gambling, which Kentucky does not. Kentucky has online lottery ticket sales, which Ohio does not.
Ohio taxes online sportsbooks at 20% of revenue; Kentucky at 14.25% of adjusted revenue.
In the 12 months through Aug 2026, online sportsbook revenue was $1.06B in Ohio and $333M in Kentucky; retail sportsbook revenue was $15.2M in Ohio and $7.7M in Kentucky.
Lottery sales in fiscal 2024: $4.24B in Ohio, $2.01B in Kentucky.
Online sportsbook revenue
Data
Ohio: $57.3M (Aug 2026); Kentucky: $17.6M (Aug 2026).
| Month | Ohio | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $57.3M | $17.6M |
| Jul 2026 | $66.5M | $22.6M |
| Jun 2026 | $67.8M | $19.7M |
| May 2026 | $87.2M | $26.1M |
| Apr 2026 | $88.4M | $26.5M |
| Mar 2026 | $86.4M | $28.2M |
| Feb 2026 | $69.4M | $25.0M |
| Jan 2026 | $98.3M | $30.7M |
| Dec 2025 | $135M | $37.7M |
| Nov 2025 | $131M | $45.6M |
| Oct 2025 | $96.5M | $27.3M |
| Sep 2025 | $76.9M | $25.9M |
| Aug 2025 | $70.9M | $21.8M |
| Jul 2025 | $58.9M | $17.4M |
| Jun 2025 | $75.1M | $22.7M |
| May 2025 | $87.2M | $25.6M |
| Apr 2025 | $74.1M | $23.7M |
| Mar 2025 | $64.2M | $19.6M |
| Feb 2025 | $74.8M | $29.4M |
| Jan 2025 | $80.3M | $32.9M |
| Dec 2024 | $56.6M | $20.3M |
| Nov 2024 | $114M | $35.9M |
| Oct 2024 | $80.1M | $21.2M |
| Sep 2024 | $102M | $33.1M |
Each state's full series: Ohio · Kentucky
Retail sportsbook revenue
Data
Ohio: $985K (Aug 2026); Kentucky: $434K (Aug 2026).
| Month | Ohio | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $985K | $434K |
| Jul 2026 | $756K | $315K |
| Jun 2026 | $1.0M | $555K |
| May 2026 | $1.3M | $373K |
| Apr 2026 | $745K | $730K |
| Mar 2026 | $1.5M | $713K |
| Feb 2026 | $373K | $448K |
| Jan 2026 | $1.3M | $650K |
| Dec 2025 | $2.7M | $1.1M |
| Nov 2025 | $1.8M | $1.1M |
| Oct 2025 | $1.7M | $778K |
| Sep 2025 | $1.0M | $518K |
| Aug 2025 | $1.9M | $758K |
| Jul 2025 | $1.4M | $322K |
| Jun 2025 | $11.2K | $323K |
| May 2025 | $1.7M | $589K |
| Apr 2025 | −$367K | $537K |
| Mar 2025 | $2.3M | $604K |
| Feb 2025 | $386K | $472K |
| Jan 2025 | −$272K | $711K |
| Dec 2024 | −$1.1M | −$51.8K |
| Nov 2024 | $2.7M | $685K |
| Oct 2024 | $1.0M | −$78.1K |
| Sep 2024 | $3.2M | $1.1M |
Each state's full series: Ohio · Kentucky
Lottery sales
Data
Ohio, FY2024: $4.24B, up 2% from FY2023; Kentucky, FY2024: $2.01B, up 14% from FY2023.
| Fiscal year | Ohio | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | $4.24B | $2.01B |
| FY2023 | $4.17B | $1.76B |
| FY2022 | $4.02B | $1.59B |
| FY2021 | $3.74B | $1.50B |
| FY2020 | $3.24B | $1.13B |
| FY2019 | $3.14B | $1.06B |
| FY2018 | $2.95B | $974M |
| FY2017 | $2.82B | $925M |
| FY2016 | $2.87B | $921M |
| FY2015 | $2.71B | $831M |
| FY2014 | $2.57B | $790M |
| FY2013 | $2.53B | $759M |
| FY2012 | $2.57B | $717M |
State fiscal years, from the Census Bureau. Ohio lottery · Kentucky lottery
Side by side
| Ohio | Kentucky | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | ||
| Sports (online) | Live since 2023 | Live since 2023 |
| Sports (retail) | Live since 2023 | Live since 2023 |
| Online casino | Not authorized | Not authorized |
| Online poker | Not authorized | Not authorized |
| Commercial casinos | Live since 2012 | Not authorized |
| Tribal casinos | Not authorized | Not authorized |
| Lottery | Live since 1974 | Live since 1989 |
| iLottery | Not authorized | Live since 2016 |
| Daily fantasy | Live since 2018 | Live since 2026 |
| VGTs / VLTs | Limited | Not authorized |
| Historical horse racing | Not authorized | Live since 2011 |
| Sweepstakes casinos | Not authorized | Contested |
| Prediction markets | Contested | Contested |
| Skill games | Contested | Prohibited |
| Card rooms | Not authorized | Not authorized |
| Lottery couriers | Not authorized | Not authorized |
| Pick'em fantasy | Live | Prohibited |
| Pari-mutuel | Live since 1933 | Live |
| Advance deposit wagering | Limited | Live since 2011 |
| Charitable gaming | Live | Live |
| Esports betting | Live | Live |
| Social casino | Live | Live |
| Tax rates | ||
| Sports (online) | 20% of GGR | 14.25% of adjusted revenue |
| Sports (retail) | 20% of GGR | 9.75% of adjusted revenue |
| Commercial casinos | 33% of GGR | — |
| Daily fantasy | Set by statute; see rates | — |
| VGTs / VLTs | Set by statute; see rates | — |
| Historical horse racing | — | 1.5% of amount bet |
| Pick'em fantasy | Set by statute; see rates | — |
| Pari-mutuel | 1%–4% of amount bet | 1.5% of amount bet |
| Advance deposit wagering | — | 1.5% of amount bet |
| Minimum age | ||
| Commercial casinos | 21 | Not legal |
| Sports betting | 21 | 21 |
| Lottery | 18 | 18 |
| Tribal casinos | Not legal | Not legal |
| Online casino | Not legal | Not legal |
| Horse racing | 18 | 18 |
| Fantasy sports | 18 | 18 |
| Bingo & raffles | 18 | 18 |
| Sports betting rules | ||
| Bet on a phone anywhere in the state | Yes | Yes |
| College games | Yes | Yes |
| In-state college teams | Yes | Yes |
| College player props | No | Yes |
| Sign up in person | No | No |
| Credit cards | Yes | Yes |
| Esports | Yes | Yes |
| Official league data required | No | No |
| Money | ||
| Reported revenue per adult, 2025 | $395 Includes: Commercial casinos; Sports (online); Sports (retail); VGTs / VLTs. Coverage differs; no overall state rank. | $402 Includes: Historical horse racing; Sports (online); Sports (retail). Coverage differs; no overall state rank. |
| Gambling and amusement taxes per resident, FY2025 | $45 18th of 47 | $25 28th of 47 |
| Gambling and amusement share of state taxes, FY2025 | 1.39% 14th of 47 | 0.67% 26th of 47 |
| Lottery sales per resident | $356 FY2024 | $436 FY2024 |
| Lottery money to the state | $1.1B 26% of sales, FY2024 | $404M 20% of sales, FY2024 |
| Market | ||
| Online sportsbooks licensed | 13 | 8 |
| Casinos open | 11 | 8 |
| Regulators | Ohio Casino Control Commission Ohio Lottery Commission Ohio State Racing Commission Ohio Attorney General (Charitable Law Section) | Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation (KHRGC; created 2024 to replace the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission) Office of Charitable Gaming (integrated into KHRGC effective July 1, 2025; formerly Dept. of Charitable Gaming, Public Protection Cabinet) Office of the Kentucky Attorney General Kentucky Lottery Corporation |
| Gambling bills still moving | 29 | 112 |
Census amusement and sports/pari-mutuel tax categories include non-gambling admissions and amusement businesses. This is a broad tax measure, not a gambling-only total; tribal payments and lottery transfers are separate. If a category is unreported, the sum covers only reported categories; missing is not confirmed zero.