Kentucky added its eighth online sports betting operator on Tuesday.
Circa Sports announced that its mobile sportsbook went live and its app is available for download in the Bluegrass State, the fifth jurisdiction for the Las Vegas-based sportsbook.
“We are thrilled to launch Circa Sports in the great state of Kentucky,” Circa CEO Derek Stevens said in a statement. “We’ve always had our sights set here as we know it is a major hub for college sports, horse racing, and more. We are looking forward to providing Kentucky bettors with some of the best odds and expertise out there.”
Finding a partner
Circa partnered with ECL Corbin, LLC’s Cumberland Run harness track, which holds a retail sportsbook at The Mint Gaming Hall.
“We’re delighted to welcome Circa Sports to the Commonwealth as a sports-betting partner,” Marc Falcone, co-owner of the ECL Corbin, said in a statement. “They allow us to offer another amenity to complement our existing gaming.”
Circa Sports also operates online sports betting in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, and Nevada. The popular downtown Las Vegas hotel and casino and online sportsbook markets as an operator offering the industry's highest betting limits.
Crowded market
Kentucky sports betting launched in Sept. 2023 and generated nearly $1.4 billion in wagers through February, the last reported month by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
The Bluegrass State claimed nearly $24 million in tax revenue in the first six months of online and retail sports betting. Circa Sports is entering a market already dominated by DraftKings and FanDuel, which have combined to take in 75% of the handle.
BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, ESPN BET, bet365, and Fanatics Sportsbook operate in the Bluegrass State as well. Prime Sports, which is currently live in Ohio and New Jersey, has been licensed in Kentucky and is working toward a launch in 2024.