Kentucky lawmakers overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a sports betting bill that changes the legal wagering age to 21.
Key Takeaways
- The sports betting age has been raised from 18 to 21 in Kentucky.
- Andy Beshear had rejected the bill because of a regulatory clause.
- Prediction markets restrictions and DFS licensing requirements are soon to take effect.
House Bill 904 was one of several pieces of legislation that the Bluegrass State’s General Assembly passed by a majority vote on Tuesday, despite Beshear rejecting the sports betting reform. The Kentucky sports betting age was raised from 18, which had matched the horse racing requirement when sportsbooks were legalized in 2023. The age to place bets on horse races remains the same.
In 90 days, the law takes effect and bettors must be 21 to use the state’s nine online sportsbooks or any of the retail shops, which is in line with most other U.S. sports betting jurisdictions.
Lawmakers passed HB 904 earlier this month, and they knew if it was vetoed, they would have the chance to override it before the session ended this week. The House voted 67-7 to override the veto before that Senate also passed it on Tuesday.
Beshear, who rejected the bill on Monday, was against the legislation because it would allow Kentucky gaming and horse racing regulatory agencies to file emergency and ordinary administrative regulations without his review and signature.
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More reform
HB 904 also restricts sports betting, fantasy sports, and horse racing operators from offering prediction markets or partnering with trading platforms like Kalshi or Polymarket. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics are three operating sportsbooks in Kentucky that also launched prediction market platforms in late 2025.
This new law keeps them from offering those sites in the Bluegrass State, but none of those companies are operating prediction markets in jurisdictions where they have sportsbooks.
The GOP-led General Assembly’s override also means that Kentucky sportsbooks won’t be allowed to offer player props, like points and touchdowns, for in-state college teams. Daily fantasy sports operators like Underdog and PrizePicks will now be required to obtain a license to offer games in the Bluegrass State, and horse racing operators can offer fixed-odds wagering, not just pari-mutuel betting.
