Kentucky Lawmakers Consider Raising Sports Betting Age to 21

Since 2024, Kentucky has been a haven for 18-year-olds who want to engage in legal sports betting. But Kentucky legislators might be working to end that practice.

House Bill 904, also known as the Wagering Consumer Protection Act, advanced out of committee on Wednesday and is slated for a full vote in the Kentucky House of Representatives. It would still need to pass the Kentucky Senate as well as receive a signature from Gov. Andy Beshear.

This would either require Beshear to reverse himself from the bill he signed in 2023 legalizing sports betting in Kentucky, or the legislature to override him. Republicans have a veto-proof majority in the Kentucky legislature and could override Beshear if they chose. Two Republicans, Michael Meredith of Brownsville and Matt Koch of Paris, have sponsored HB 904.

How Does Kentucky Differ From Its Neighbors?

Currently, the Bluegrass State is one of only six that allows legal sports betting for 18-year-olds, and its geography makes it an attractive target for 18-year-olds from neighboring states.

Nashville sits a mere 40 miles from the Kentucky state line, and Cincinnati is across the Ohio River from Kentucky. Both of these cities have multiple universities, allowing college students to cross into Kentucky and place their wagers without violating age limits.

Currently, three sportsbooks in Kentucky — DraftKings, Circa and Bet365 — accept wagers from 18-year-olds. The differing laws have forced DraftKings and Bet365 to make absolutely certain their geolocation technology works properly, especially in Louisville, where the city sits on the banks of the Ohio River across from Indiana.

That issue isn’t as big of a deal for Circa, as it only operates in four states. While Illinois does border Kentucky, that part of Illinois is far more rural, making it less practical to cross state lines.

What Else Would HB 904 Change?

Beyond the age increase, passing HB 904 would make two significant changes to sports betting in Kentucky. The first would ban any prop betting on college athletes at Kentucky schools. In practice, this would have the biggest effect on games involving the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.

Bettors would still be able to place prop wagers on out-of-state players, and spreads, totals and moneyline bets would remain available on in-state college teams.

The other major change would allow fixed odds on horse race betting. Horse racing odds have long changed with the flow of betting, and bettors receive the odds at post time, regardless of where the odds were when they placed their bet. This change would allow bettors to lock in their odds when they made their bet, potentially enticing money to come in on a favorite well before the odds update.

Less major changes in the bill include raising the cap on the prize a charitable gaming effort may offer. Currently, top prizes by charity gaming efforts are capped at $599; this bill would raise that to $1,499. Meredith has also said that he wants to regulate daily fantasy sports in Kentucky, but that is in a separate bill, HB 757.

What’s the Future Look Like?

The bill still has plenty of time to go through the legislative process, as Kentucky’s legislative session is expected to last until April 15.

It’s unclear where Beshear stands on the bill. When he signed legal sports betting in Kentucky into law in 2023, that was a bipartisan effort that included Meredith helping to lead the charge in the Kentucky House. It’s possible that both sides are united again on the bill’s passage, which would make for smooth sailing for this bill.

If passed, bettors who are currently between 18 and 21 years of age would have their ability to wager paused within 90 days of the act taking effect.