Kentucky Lawmakers Lift Veto and Raise the Betting Age to 21

(AsiaGameHub) –   Kentucky has enacted new sports betting regulations following a veto override by state legislators against Gov. Andy Beshear. The legislation increases the minimum age for betting and imposes restrictions on prediction markets.

Good to Know

• Kentucky will raise the sports betting age from 18 to 21 in 90 days.
• HB 904 also blocks sportsbook ties to prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
• Player props on in state college teams will no longer be allowed.

Kentucky Overrides Veto and Reshapes Betting Rules

By overriding a veto from Gov. Andy Beshear, Kentucky legislators enacted HB 904 into law, which increases the legal sports betting age from 18 to 21. This new age requirement will take effect in 90 days for all nine online sportsbooks and physical betting locations statewide. The minimum age for betting on horse races remains 18.

The General Assembly initially approved the bill earlier this month and revisited it after Beshear vetoed it on Monday. The House voted 67 to 7 to override the veto, and the Senate did the same on Tuesday just before the legislative session concluded.

Beshear’s primary objection to the bill was a provision that allows Kentucky’s gaming and horse racing regulators to enact emergency and standard administrative regulations without requiring the governor’s review or signature.

The scope of the new law extends beyond the age increase. It also prohibits operators of sports betting, fantasy sports, and horse racing from providing prediction markets or forming partnerships with trading platforms like Kalshi or Polymarket. While DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics all operate sportsbooks in Kentucky and introduced prediction market platforms in late 2025, none of these companies currently offer such markets in states where their sportsbooks are active.

Additionally, HB 904 prohibits player proposition bets on teams from colleges within the state, covering wagers on individual performances like points scored or touchdowns. Daily fantasy sports operators like Underdog and PrizePicks will now be required to obtain a license to offer contests in Kentucky. For horse racing, operators are now permitted to offer fixed odds betting in addition to traditional pari-mutuel wagering.