Bingo in Kentucky: Laws, Halls & Online Bingo (2026 Guide)

Is bingo legal in Kentucky?

Yes. Kentucky allows charitable gaming under KRS Chapter 238, and bingo is the backbone of it. Only licensed charitable organizations may run games, and the money must go back to their charitable purposes.

The regulator changed recently. On July 1, 2025, the old Department of Charitable Gaming became the Office of Charitable Gaming inside Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming (KHRG), the same agency that oversees horse racing and sports wagering. The office has since moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

It is a big business. When the office joined KHRG, it reported more than $1.3 billion in gross receipts for licensed charitable gaming organizations in calendar year 2024, from bingo, charity game tickets (pull-tabs), raffles and fundraising events combined.

How old do you have to be to play bingo in Kentucky?

You need to be 18 for regular charity bingo. KRS 238.545 makes one exception: a minor may play if the prizes are noncash, worth no more than $10, and a parent or legal guardian is with them.

The rules for other games are stricter. Nobody under 18 may buy or open a charity game ticket, and minors cannot play or run “special limited” charitable games such as casino-night tables. At a licensed charity fundraising event, a child can play bingo only with a parent or guardian present.

Can you play online bingo for real money in Kentucky?

No. Kentucky legalized sports betting in 2023, including mobile apps, but online casino games and online bingo are not authorized. Charitable bingo has to be played in person at the licensed location.

Bingo apps that pay real cash and are not licensed by Kentucky should be treated with caution. Our online bingo guide covers the safer free-play options. Need to talk to someone about gambling? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

Are sweepstakes bingo sites legal in Kentucky?

That question is now in court. Kentucky has never passed a law aimed specifically at sweepstakes casinos, but on June 17, 2026, Attorney General Russell Coleman filed suit in Franklin Circuit Court against VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots, alleging it runs illegal gambling through a two-currency sweepstakes model. He filed separate suits against the prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket the same day.

The state is asking for a permanent injunction and civil penalties. VGW has said it will fight the case, and no court had ruled as of October 2026. Until a judge decides, the legal status of sweepstakes bingo in Kentucky is unsettled. Our sweepstakes bingo explainer covers what is at stake for players with coin balances.

Where can you play bingo in Kentucky?

At licensed charitable gaming facilities and at the halls of churches, schools, veterans groups and civic clubs. Louisville in particular has several dedicated bingo buildings where different charities take turns running sessions.

We have not listed individual halls because we could not confirm current schedules from official sources. Your best bet is to call the Office of Charitable Gaming or check with local parishes and VFW posts.

How to run a charity bingo game in Kentucky

Kentucky has some of the most detailed bingo rules in the country, so read them before your first session.

1. Get licensed. Your organization needs a charitable gaming license from the Office of Charitable Gaming before it sells a single card.
2. Mind the session limits. You can hold one session per day and three per week, each no longer than five consecutive hours, with a weekly cap of 15 hours. Bingo may be played at only one location in any 24-hour period.
3. Watch the prize cap. Total bingo prizes, door prizes included, cannot exceed $5,000 in a 24-hour period.
4. Know the pull-tab rules. An individual charity game ticket prize cannot top $1,499, and tickets may only be sold at the licensed location unless the office approves an off-site event.
5. Card-minding devices are allowed, but they must work alongside paper cards at all times.
6. Check IDs. The law gives sellers a defense only if a minor used fake identification that looked genuine.

For volunteer and prize ideas, see our bingo fundraiser guide. If your group plays near the western border, compare the rules in Missouri.