FRANKFORT, Ky. – Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Thursday easily approved legislation that introduces several updates to Kentucky’s current sports wagering law, along with changes affecting other entities overseen by the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
Rep. Michael Meredith, sponsor of House Bill 904, outlined the key revisions while addressing fellow representatives on the House floor.
“One of the big changes is that we would move age of sports wagering from 18 to 21,” he said. “It would also ban prop betting on in-state collegiate athletes, those who play for Kentucky teams. This would take away any incentive for bribery or harassing a player for not meeting a goal.”
The bill also establishes a licensing, regulatory, and tax framework for fantasy sports contests. If prediction markets—currently being addressed in the federal court system—are eventually permitted, they would follow a tax structure similar to sports wagering.
Although there are no limits on how much individuals can lose, some sportsbooks currently cap winnings or even decline to accept certain bets. The bill would eliminate those restrictions on winnings if it becomes law.
Under the legislation, anyone who owes more than $1,000 in unpaid child support would be barred from participating in sports wagering. The Attorney General’s office would compile a list of such individuals and share it with the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation, which would then distribute the information to sportsbooks and betting apps. This would prevent those individuals from placing additional wagers until they clear their outstanding balance.
HB 904 would also establish a task force on charitable gaming to review all rules and regulations related to charitable gaming and report back with potential changes during the 2027 session.
The House approved the bill by a 79-15 vote, and it now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Thursday marked day 51 of the 60-day legislative session.
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