One of Ohio’s top gaming regulators thinks its neighbor to the south is making a grave mistake with sports betting.
At the end of March, Gov. Andy Beshear signed HB 551, legalizing sports betting in Kentucky. The bill allowed online and retail sports betting in the Bluegrass State.
However, it also allowed those 18 and older to place sports bets, a rule few other states implemented.
Wyoming, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. are the only U.S. jurisdictions allowing 18+ sports betting. Every other state with legal sports betting requires its participants to be 21 and older.
Ohio Casino Control Commission leader sends criticism
Prior to passing sports wagering legalization in Kentucky, the state was surrounded by states with legal betting. Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia all have online and retail betting.
But those states required their participants to be old enough to buy alcohol. Kentuckians wanting to bet could cross the border into those states and wager on their favorite sporting event.
Now the opposite is possible for 18-20-year-olds. And Ohio Casino Control Commission executive director Matt Schuler isn’t happy about it.
“I absolutely hate the idea that individuals under 21 can go across the border, open an account and bet,” Schuler told local media in Cincinnati. “I think it’s horrible.”
Schuler expanded on his thoughts to WCPO, saying that younger bettors are more at risk of developing a gambling addiction.
“The age group this is most at risk of developing a gambling problem are males 18 to 35,” said Schuler. “The younger ones are most vulnerable as they’re not at the age yet where they can thoroughly process the consequences of their actions. Not my opinion. Scientific fact.”
18+ consistent with all Kentucky gaming laws
Kentucky doesn’t have a ton of gaming options. But the available ones, horse racing and lottery, allow 18-year-olds to wager.
Rep. Michael Meredith, a sponsor of the sports betting legislation, told the local Cincinnati outlet that was the reason sports betting adhered to the same requirements.
“It’s consistent with all of our other gaming laws in Kentucky,” said Meredith. “You can bet a horse track in Kentucky when you’re 18. You can go to an HHR facility at 18 by statute. Now, several of our HHR facilities have self-regulated to 21 but the statute says 18. And then, you can buy lottery tickets in Kentucky at 18 too. So, it’s consistent with all of our other wagering laws.”
Caesars Sportsbook will self-regulate to 21+ in Kentucky
The only sportsbook to secure a partnership in Kentucky so far is Caesars Sportsbook KY. The Las Vegas-based gaming giant entered into an agreement with Keeneland last month.
As result, Caesars will run a brick-and-mortar sportsbook at Red Mile in Lexington. Additionally, it guarantees Caesars will have an online sportsbook in the Bluegrass State.
But in the announcement, Caesars said it would not take wagers from anyone under 21. Like the HHR facilities mentioned, Caesars made the internal decision to raise the age requirement to bet.
Based on comments made by other major operators, FanDuel Sportsbook Kentucky and BetMGM KY Sportsbook will likely follow suit (if they enter the Kentucky market), while DraftKings Sportsbook in KY would probably accept bets from anyone 18 and older.
