Despite the legal sports betting age in Kentucky being 18, the only two sportsbooks that have publicly secured their places in the Kentucky market will not allow betting from anyone younger than 21.
We already knew Caesars Sportsbook would be 21-plus in Kentucky.
Now, FanDuel has informed PlayKentucky it will also “only be available to users 21+ in Kentucky,” per a Tuesday night email from a company spokesperson.
FanDuel is also 21+ in Wyoming and Washington, DC
When sports betting in Kentucky launches in September, it will become the largest US jurisdiction offering 18-and-over sports betting. The other jurisdictions: Wyoming, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Washington, DC. FanDuel is live in Wyoming and Washington, DC, and it’s also 21-plus there.
So, while it may not be a shock that FanDuel Kentucky won’t allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-old bettors, it still is significant for the US sports betting market leader to confirm that decision. Especially for a jurisdiction with 3.1 million more residents than the second-largest 18-and-over jurisdiction. Translation: Choosing to remain 21-plus means a sportsbook will miss out on a legitimate chunk of the Kentucky betting market.
Will any sportsbooks allow 18+ bettors?
BetMGM confirmed it would launch a BetMGM Kentucky during its Q2 earnings call. Like FanDuel and Caesars, it’s 21-and-over everywhere it’s live. That’s expected to remain the case in the Bluegrass State.
When PlayKentucky asked DraftKings in May if a hypothetical DraftKings Kentucky would serve bettors aged 18 through 20, the sportsbook sent back this response:
“DraftKings is committed to following the age restrictions set forth by each individual jurisdiction.”
Sounds a lot like there’s a chance DraftKings is 18-and-over in Kentucky, right? That move wouldn’t be unprecedented. DraftKings is 18-plus in New Hampshire and Wyoming.
Bet365 Kentucky could be a wild card, too. The United Kingdom-based gambling giant is making significant strides in its US expansion and is poised to launch in Kentucky. The legal gambling age in Europe is 18, so Bet365 will likely have no qualms serving 18-, 19- and 20-year-old customers in the Bluegrass State.
XL Media was first to report the news of FanDuel being 21-and-over in Kentucky.
