Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear vetoed House Bill 904, which aimed to raise the minimum sports betting age from 18 to 21 and introduce new regulations such as banning player props on Kentucky colleges and authorizing fixed-odds horse racing wagers. Beshear’s veto was primarily due to a provision granting emergency regulatory powers to the Kentucky Lottery Corporation and Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation without requiring consultation with the governor’s office, which he argued would undermine his constitutional oversight duties. As a result, the minimum sports betting age remains 18 for now, with the Republican-controlled General Assembly holding the power to override the veto.

Despite the veto, Kentucky continues to allow 18+ sports betting, joining only a few other states with this age limit. The bill also sought to restrict licensed sportsbooks from operating prediction markets in Kentucky, though these markets remain active and are subject to separate legislation proposing taxation. DraftKings and FanDuel dominate the Kentucky sports betting market, collectively capturing nearly 80% of the $2.72 billion wagered statewide in the 2025 fiscal year.