# Kentucky HB 904: AN ACT relating to gaming. Kentucky HB 904, AN ACT relating to gaming., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Michael Meredith (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-04-14 (delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 184)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB904-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 904 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to gaming. - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-03-04 - Last action: 2026-04-14, delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 184) - Sponsor: Michael Meredith (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Administrative Regulations And Proceedings, Amusements And Recreations, Business Entities And Organizations, Charitable And Nonprofit Organizations, Corrections Impact, Gaming And Wagering, Horses And Horse Racing, Licensing, Public Safety, Retroactive Legislation, State Agencies, Taxation - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 5 (260 yes, 59 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 47 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Higher ticket prizes allowed in charitable gaming: benefit, low. The law raises the maximum individual charity game ticket prize from $599 to $1,499. Individual prizes cannot exceed this new ceiling. Cumulative or carryover prizes in seal card games are excluded from the limit. The higher limit allows larger prizes but does not guarantee anyone a win. - Authorized gaming gains criminal law protections: benefit, low. Kentucky's gambling-crime chapter does not cover authorized pari-mutuel, fantasy, fixed-odds, live or historical horse-race, and sports wagering. Definitions of advancing or profiting from gambling now cover only unauthorized activity; bookmaking means unauthorized business betting. Regulated fanta… - Charitable gaming licensees gain suspension safeguards: benefit, low. The regulator can issue an immediate suspension, notice, or stop order only for specified risks. Those risks are imminent danger to public health or safety, or misuse of charitable-gaming revenue. A license holder can appeal an immediate suspension, and the corporation must decide within 20 days. A… - Gaming investigators gain powers and hiring flexibility: benefit, low. Investigators appointed by the corporation's president can exercise peace officer powers within specified gaming-law enforcement areas. Their work includes covered racing and wagering laws and protecting people or property at licensed premises. Their powers remain limited to the enforcement areas l… - Gaming supply sellers gain legal defense: benefit, low. Sellers charged with selling charitable gaming supplies to minors gain a defense when false, fraudulent, or altered documents induced the sale. They must also show the buyer’s appearance and character strongly suggested legal age and made age unascertainable by other means. The same evidence can su… - Small noncash games avoid licensing limits: benefit, low. Wheel games and other games of chance avoid the special-license requirement and age restrictions when prizes are only noncash. The noncash prizes must be worth no more than $100. Cash prizes and noncash prizes above $100 do not qualify. - Horse racing gets purse support funds: benefit, low. Kentucky creates a restricted purse stabilization fund from horse-racing wagering excise receipts, including fixed-odds receipts. Money must remain in the fund for at least one and one-half years after the law’s effective date. After that, the regulator can supplement live-meet purses, with a meet’… - Legal gaming protects covered alcohol licenses: benefit, low. Authorized fantasy contests, fixed-odds betting, and live or historical horse-race wagering are exceptions to the specified gambling-related alcohol-license penalty. Covered license holders also cannot lose their licenses solely for operating lawful pari-mutuel betting, sports wagering, fantasy con… - Racing associations gain scheduling flexibility: benefit, low. After November 1, the gaming corporation can add or adjust awarded racing dates at a licensed association's request. The applicable horsemen's group must support the change, and the corporation must find it serves racing's best interest. Another association whose dates are affected must give expres… - Stronger oversight of Kentucky Thoroughbred registration: benefit, low. A Thoroughbred registrar must agree to Kentucky’s legal authority. If the registrar fails to follow the chapter’s requirements, the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation must choose a replacement. That replacement serves as the registrar for Kentucky Thoroughbreds. - Thoroughbred breeders gain registration protections: benefit, low. Thoroughbred registrars generally cannot cap the number of mares bred to a stallion or reject a foal for that reason. A cap requires unanimous adoption and implementation by representatives of the International Stud Book Committee's members. Without that cap, registrars also cannot deny otherwise q… - Tracks can offer fixed-odds horse betting: benefit, low. Licensed Kentucky tracks can offer fixed-odds horse betting, with or without a service provider, after receiving a supplemental license. The host track chooses which bets are offered. Bookmakers must accept bets with a potential win limit of at least $1,000 per race. That limit is not the stake, to… - Horse bettors get odds and cutoff protections: benefit, low. Licensed wagering-system companies, tracks, and racing associations must speed technology upgrades at the earliest opportunity consistent with existing contracts. They must give retail bettors commercially reasonable access to live horse-racing betting odds by April 1, 2027. Wagering technology mus… - Child support debt blocks online gaming: cost, medium. Covered online gaming operators must deny accounts to people listed as owing at least $500 in child support per Title IV-D case. The debt must come from a Kentucky order or an out-of-state order registered and enforceable in Kentucky. The state must maintain the registry and send it to the gaming r… - Gaming investigators lose hazardous-duty retirement coverage: cost, medium. Horse racing and gaming investigators are excluded from hazardous-duty retirement coverage under the Kentucky Employees Retirement System. Investigators in these roles do not qualify for that coverage. - Certain convictions block charitable gaming licenses: cost, medium. Charitable-gaming applicants and license holders cannot obtain or keep a license after covered disqualifying convictions. The rule also covers associated people subject to background checks. Convictions must fall within the 10 years before the application. Covered crimes include dishonesty, moral t… - Sports bettors must be at least 21: cost, low. The law raises Kentucky’s minimum sports betting age from 18 to 21. People ages 18 through 20 can no longer place sports bets. Sports betting companies must use commercially and technologically reasonable methods to block underage access at licensed facilities, websites, and mobile apps. - Charitable gaming operators face stronger enforcement: cost, low. The gaming regulator can inspect licensees' offices, businesses, gaming locations, and facilities under its authority with free access. For violations, it can deny, refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke charitable-gaming licenses. It can also impose probation, fines, warnings, reprimands, and stop or… - Charities face gaming and spending limits: cost, low. Charitable gaming can operate only in forms authorized by Kentucky's charitable-gaming and racing laws. Licensed charities cannot use gaming receipts or incur expenses to form, maintain, or operate as a labor organization. - Fantasy contest violations bring criminal penalties: cost, low. Participation in a fantasy contest that violates Section 9 of the law is a Class A misdemeanor. Tampering with a fantasy contest outcome in violation of that section is a Class C felony. Kentucky’s Attorney General can also enforce and prosecute offenses under the racing and charitable-gaming chapt… - Property controllers must stop unlicensed gambling: cost, low. People possessing or controlling property commit an offense if they knowingly let unlicensed gambling continue there. They must halt or attempt to halt the activity within a reasonable time. This rule does not cover gambling licensed under Kentucky's lottery, racing and wagering, or charitable-gami… - Charitable gaming applicants face licensing standards: cost, low. Charitable gaming applicants must meet state licensing standards. The regulator reviews financial responsibility, age, experience, reputation, competence, and overall fitness to protect gaming integrity. Facility applicants must also explain their ability to run the facility and follow required sta… - Charity venues face tighter operating rules: cost, low. Charitable-gaming facilities need a license unless they host only charity fundraising events. Use by two or fewer charities no longer creates an exemption. Covered facility owners, officers, workers, contractors, affiliates, and family members cannot solicit licensed charities to play there for pro… - Gaming companies face prediction market limits: cost, low. Kentucky racing, sports betting, and fantasy contest licensees cannot participate in Kentucky prediction markets or share their proceeds. The ban covers their affiliates and businesses in which they hold a beneficial interest. Covered companies also cannot supply, advertise, host, or partner with b… - Higher license fee caps for charitable gaming: cost, low. The maximum fee for each charitable organization’s gaming license, issued or renewed, rises from $300 to $1,000. The facility license fee cap rises from $2,500 to $5,000. The manufacturer or distributor license fee cap rises from $1,000 to $5,000. Actual fees can be lower; facility fees must follow… - Unpaid state obligations block gaming licenses: cost, low. The gaming corporation cannot issue or renew covered licenses when applicants or licensees have unpaid required state obligations. These include applicable taxes, license fees, required payments, and other debts owed to Kentucky or its agencies. Covered obligations include those tied to pari-mutuel… - Fantasy providers pay tiered license fees: cost, low. Fantasy providers with annual adjusted gross receipts below $50,000 pay $5,000 initially and $1,000 for annual renewal. Outside that tier, licensed sports wagering service providers pay $7,500 initially and $5,000 annually. Other providers pay $15,000 initially and $10,000 annually. Providers excee… - Fixed-odds operators pay license fees and taxes: cost, low. Tracks and associations must obtain a supplemental license before offering fixed-odds wagering in Kentucky. The initial fee and each annual renewal cost $2,500. Licensed operators pay tax on fixed-odds live horse-racing revenue: 9.75% for track bets and 14.25% through approved online or off-site te… - Racetrack extensions can face local fees: cost, low. Specified Kentucky counties and cities can apply occupational license fees to qualifying racetrack extensions offering historical horse-race wagering. Extensions must be owned, leased, or purchased by licensed associations, meet the legal track definition, and use approved terminals. Property used… - Self-excluded fantasy players lose contest prizes: mixed, medium. Kentucky’s gaming regulator must create and publicize a self-exclusion list for people who identify as problem or compulsive gamblers. Covered licensees must send collected self-exclusion information to the regulator. Residents and eligible nonresidents can block themselves from opening fantasy con… - Thoroughbred bettors face new payout rounding: mixed, low. The law changes payout rounding for covered Thoroughbred pari-mutuel races, replacing the direction to calculate breaks to the penny. The change also applies to races already run. The supplied text does not explain the replacement calculation or show whether a bettor gains or loses money. - Bettors gain horse races but face limits: mixed, low. Horse races now count as sporting events under Kentucky's sports wagering law. Local, state, and federal election outcomes do not. Operators cannot offer individual-statistic bets that win when an athlete on a Kentucky college team misses a threshold or has a negative performance. This restriction… - Fantasy contests add limits and protections: mixed, low. Fantasy contest players must be at least 18. Restricted participants cannot enter contests tied to their profession, relationship, or access to nonpublic information. They can enter contests outside that scope. The law also bans attempts to persuade players, coaches, officials, or restricted partic… - Charitable gaming enforcement adds appeal protections: mixed, low. Licensed and unlicensed charitable gaming participants can face warnings, probation, cease-and-desist orders, and fines up to $5,000 per offense. A person appealing a violation can request a pause in writing within 10 calendar days, giving identifying details, reasons, and the requested duration. T… - More employees can chair charitable gaming: mixed, low. An employee of charitable gaming premises can serve as a chairperson if at least 21 and named in the charity’s license application. The employee must complete required background checks and training. The training and federal background check requirements begin July 1, 2027. Kentucky’s gaming regula… - Charities face pulltab checks and fines: mixed, low. Charities must check identification and keep people under 21 from playing electronic pulltabs or entering their cordoned-off areas. These areas must be visible to the chairperson. At mixed-age sites, five or more devices require full-time entrance monitoring by an organization-employed chairperson;… - Fantasy contests gain safeguards and location checks: mixed, low. Kentucky’s gaming regulator must issue fantasy contest rules within 180 days after the law’s effective date and create integrity programs. Providers must verify that players are physically in Kentucky when entering, unless the regulator authorizes an exception. A lawful fantasy contest cannot be re… - State oversight expands across gaming activities: mixed, low. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation has exclusive oversight of fantasy contests and fixed-odds betting. It can set rules and subpoena related records. Beginning July 1, 2025, it also oversees charitable gaming. It can exclude people whose conduct or reputation harms gaming integrity or… - Charitable gaming applicants face background checks: mixed, low. Background checks cover applicants, chief executives, chief financial officers or directors, designated chairpersons, and people with at least 10% financial interests. The regulator can require checks of other associated people when needed to assess fitness. Applicants under KRS 238.530, KRS 238.55… - Charitable gaming locations gain temporary limits: mixed, low. Within 90 days after the Act's effective date, a charitable-gaming facility can transfer up to three licenses. Transfers must move from locations admitting people age 21 or younger to locations admitting only people 21 or older. From April 15, 2026, until April 15, 2027, new electronic charity tick… - Charities face electronic gaming location limits: mixed, low. Charities generally can offer electronic game tickets and pulltabs at one approved main location and one approved additional location. The main site must be the charity’s office, licensed bingo site, or authorized fundraising event; the additional site must be in the office’s county or a bordering… - Charities gain deposit flexibility with spending limits: mixed, low. Licensed charities cannot pay above market rates for gaming supplies, rent, utilities, insurance, advertising, accounting, or security. Some charities can deposit gaming receipts weekly instead of after each event or session. This option covers only charity game tickets outside fundraising events.… - Charities get deadlines but uncertain license reinstatement: mixed, low. Charitable gaming applicants must file complete applications at least 60 days before license expiration or planned operations. The regulator must identify deficiencies within 30 days and decide complete applications within 60 days. Applicants generally have 30 days to fix deficiencies or their appl… - Fantasy providers gain conditional operating flexibility: mixed, low. Fantasy contest licenses last one year, with renewal procedures set by regulation. Existing Kentucky providers can continue during application review if they apply within 90 days after implementing rules are issued. Initial and renewal applicants can operate during review, but the regulator can req… - Gaming facilities must transfer existing licenses: mixed, low. Owners or lessees hosting at least two other licensed charities within one year count as charitable gaming facilities. Facilities licensed before the law’s effective date must start a license transfer within 90 days after that date. They must first seek a transfer to a licensed charity affiliated a… - Gaming reports carry risks and safeguards: mixed, low. Licensees filing required racing or charitable gaming reports must attest under penalty of perjury that reports are true, correct, and complete. The attestation is based on their best knowledge and belief. Substantially misleading or materially false reports can lead to license refusal, suspension,… - Racing entities face charitable gaming limits: mixed, low. Licensed racing associations, tracks, and their affiliates cannot hold charitable-gaming licenses or have a beneficial interest in gaming proceeds. They can lease space to charities or nonprofits at commercially reasonable rates. They can also conduct corporation-authorized raffles and other specia… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michael Meredith (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Koch (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-14 | House | passed | pass | 67 | 7 | | | 2026-04-14 | Senate | passed | pass | 26 | 5 | | | 2026-04-01 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 24 | 13 | | | 2026-04-01 | House | passed | pass | 64 | 19 | | | 2026-03-19 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 79 | 15 | | ## Actions (50) - 2026-04-14: delivered to Secretary of State (Acts Ch. 184) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-14: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-14: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-14: passed 26-5 (Senate) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (Senate) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: to Rules (S) (Senate) - 2026-04-14: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-14: passed 67-7 (House) - 2026-04-14: veto overridden (House) - 2026-04-14: posted for consideration of Governor's veto - 2026-04-14: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-14: received in House (House) - 2026-04-13: Vetoed - 2026-04-02: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-02: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-02: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-01: passed 64-19 (House) - 2026-04-01: House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-01: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-04-01: received in House (House) - 2026-04-01: 3rd reading, passed 24-13 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-04-01: floor amendment (1) ruled out of order (Senate) - 2026-04-01: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, April 01 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: returned to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-31: taken from Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: floor amendment (1) filed (Senate) - 2026-03-27: returned to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-27: 1st reading (Senate) - 2026-03-27: taken from Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-27: to Licensing & Occupations (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-20: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-20: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-19: 3rd reading, passed 79-15 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendments (2) and (5) (House) - 2026-03-19: floor amendment (5) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-18: floor amendment (4) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-13: floor amendment (3) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-12: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 13 2026 (House) - 2026-03-12: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-11: floor amendments (1) and (2) filed to Committee Substitute (House) - 2026-03-11: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-10: to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H) (House) - 2026-03-04: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-03-04: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb904/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-03-04: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb904/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb904/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb904/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB324-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB904-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).