Kentucky Lawmakers Approve Bill To Increase Sports Betting Age
David Genge Published 09/04/2026
A new Kentucky bill on the verge of becoming a law will require customers to be a few years older before they can place a wager on sports in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill 904, which will increase the legal age to bet on sports in the state from 18 to 21 years of age.
The bill is on the desk of Gov. Andy Beshear, who can opt to sign it into law.
Kentucky’s State House previously approved the bill by a 64-19 vote. Kentucky’s Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee passed the bill unanimously by a 10-0 vote. The full Senate vote on the bill was 24-13 in favor of passage.
Sportsbooks will be required to implement strict age-gating software to prevent underage sports betting in Kentucky.
“The only place you will see underage betting is in the prediction market space, because they don’t have those restrictions in the federal space,” said Republican Rep. Michael Meredith, the sponsor of the bill.
Not every Senator was supportive of the move, feeling that online sports betting preys on younger people, especially young men.
“I now tell my sons that if you download one of these apps ... You’re a sucker,” Republican Senator Chris McDaniel said, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
During his testimony at hearings on the bill, McDaniel made it a point to emphasize what he feels are the dangers of mobile sports betting on a cell phone.
“If you want to talk about a wealth transfer from those who can least afford it ... Unfortunately, it’s become this,” McDaniel said while holding forth a smartphone. “Honestly, it’s made me dislike watching sports the way that I used to, because I feel like I’m watching a gambling show while a baseball game is going on.
“This bill combines a lot of very, very difficult choices, the question of constitutionality, the question of the evolution of gaming.”
Kentucky opts not to completely ban sites offering prediction markets
House Bill 904 underwent some amendments before it was approved by the State Senate. Originally, the bill called for a complete prohibition on any sports betting sites that also offered prediction market sites anywhere in the USA. The amended bill only bans sports betting sites from operating prediction market sites in Kentucky.
There was concern that three of the major online sportsbooks - DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics - would take leave of the Kentucky market. All three sportsbooks also operate prediction markets. Their departure would’ve seen what so far has amounted to $84.5 million in tax revenue from sports betting exiting the state.
While the sports betting age is jumping to 21, it will still be legal in Kentucky for 18 year olds to bet on horse racing and play daily fantasy sports.
The bill also alters prop betting on college sports for in-state schools in Kentucky. Going forward, bettors will only be permitted to wager on overs when it comes to player props. Betting on the under - that is, for a player not to achieve a specific statistical milestone during a game - will be prohibited.
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