Kentucky wants to legalize gambling

After the abolition of PASPA in the United States, the debate on the legalization of online betting by individual states does not abate. In Kentucky, government came up with a similar initiative. State Attorney General Andy Beshear believes that this will help solve the problem of pension payments.

Beshear said that gambling taxes can help the state get out of the debt obligations associated with pension liabilities. Financial analysts predict that the state will need amount from $39 billion to $ 70 billion over the next 30 years to pay cash for educators, firefighters, police officers and other government officials.

In a letter addressed to the lawmakers of the state of Kentucky at the end of last month, Beshear calls for consideration of the possibility of legalizing gambling at the local level. Currently, only bets on horse racing are allowed in Kentucky, which seriously limits the state’s capabilities. The General Prosecutor also noted that residents are forced to travel to other administrative centers in order to visit gambling establishments or bet on competitions, which leads to a “leak” of more than $ 1 billion annually.

In his letter, Beshear states: “The solution to the problem lies not in reducing the promised pensions, but in creating a new financial flow, which will resolve the issue of paying pension obligations without raising taxes in the state. The answer is simple - legalization of gambling, including casino, fantasy sports, as well as preparation for the possible legalization of online poker.”

How the legislators will react to the proposal is not yet known. Dennis Keene has developed a BR15 bill, which is designed to allow the creation of bookmaking offices. They will be developed under the auspices of the Kentucky lottery, controlled by an authorized organization. It is expected that the bill will be considered after the legislators return to the new meeting on January 8 of next year.

If the BR15 will not be implemented, the Attorney General has another opportunity to legalize gambling. He has already announced that he plans to run for governor against Matt Bevin the current head of Kentucky state.

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