21 vs. 18: The US Sports Betting Age Split

No Unilateral Federal Sports Betting Age
States Set The Minimum Sports Betting Age Post-2018
Updated February 12, 2026

Sports betting in the United States does not have a single national minimum age. After the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA** and removed the federal ban on most state-authorized sports betting in Murphy v. NCAA on May 14, 2018, each state enacted its own sports betting laws, including minimum age requirements.

Over time, 21 became the most common legal sports betting age in each state, largely because it aligned with existing rules and the business realities of casino-based gambling. But a smaller set of jurisdictions decided that 18 made more sense for their local system, usually because sports betting was regulated under lottery or non-casino-style rules, or because the state already treated 18-year-olds as eligible adults for certain forms of wagering.

How 21 became the “default” sports betting age in the US, and why some jurisdictions chose 18 instead

In most sports betting states, lawmakers did not start from scratch. They borrowed existing gambling structures and age limits that were already in place.

Sports betting is often launched through casinos and racinos, and many states tied sports betting to casinos, casino-style venues, or casino-adjacent licensing. When sports betting is physically located on casino floors, lawmakers often default to the same minimum age required to enter or gamble in those venues.

In much of the US, commercial casinos commonly restrict gambling floor access to 21, and one frequently cited reason is that alcohol service is integrated into the gaming environment.

Another reason 21 became common is that it aligns with the wider US approach to age-restricted adult environments shaped by the national drinking-age landscape. Federal policy penalizes states that do not comply with a 21 minimum drinking age. While that law is about alcohol, it influences how states think about age-gated spaces like casino floors and adjacent entertainment areas.

Finally, 21 can be simpler from a compliance perspective. Regulators and operators often prefer a single clean rule rather than multiple age-based rules within the same venue. If a sportsbook is inside a casino that is already 21+, the simplest compliance position is that sports betting is 21+ too.

Why Some Jurisdictions Chose 18 Instead

Even though 21 became common, it was never legally required nationwide. A number of jurisdictions chose 18 because their sports betting model looked less like a casino product and more like a lottery or general wagering product.

Where sports betting is run through a lottery-style model, lottery products are often 18+ in many places, and when sports betting is housed under the lottery umbrella, lawmakers sometimes keep the same adult threshold. Washington, DC, sets the minimum age to place or cash a sports wager at 18 in its lottery-run system, and the same can be said for sports betting in Montana at a state-run venue.

Some jurisdictions already treat 18 as the “gambling adulthood” line for other forms of wagering, and lawmakers may see sports betting as closer to those activities than to casino table games. Wyoming sets the minimum age for online sports wagering at 18. Laws for New Hampshire sports betting define an authorized sports bettor as an individual 18 years of age or older. Kentucky sports wagering rules require procedures to prevent access by anyone under 18, indicating an 18+ framework.

When policymakers argue that 21 is too high for sports betting, their reasoning often centers on age-of-majority logic, channeling demand away from illegal markets, and participation and revenue considerations. Some legislators argue that if 18-year-olds can vote, sign contracts, and enlist in the military, then legal sports betting should follow the general adult threshold.

Others argue that 18- to 20-year-olds may bet through offshore sportsbooks anyway, and that a legal 18+ market would allow safeguards and oversight. Fiscal impacts can also matter. New Hampshire’s debate over raising the minimum age included an analysis estimating a revenue decrease if the age were increased.

It also matters whether betting is tied to alcohol-centered venues. In states where betting is primarily mobile or lottery-run, lawmakers may feel less pressure to mirror casino floor rules that are shaped by alcohol service.

States that have considered changing the minimum sports betting age

Kentucky (proposed change: 18 to 21)

Kentucky launched regulated sports wagering with an 18+ minimum age, but lawmakers have since introduced legislation to raise it to 21. In the 2026 Regular Session, House Bill 582 proposes changing the age of access to sports wagering from 18 to 21.

New Hampshire (proposed change: 18 to 21)

New Hampshire’s current sports betting minimum is 18, but lawmakers introduced House Bill 83 to raise it to 21, with an effective date specified in the bill text. The bill’s fiscal methodology also estimates the revenue attributable to bettors under 21, which is often central to these debates.

South Carolina (legalization proposals that set the age at 18)

South Carolina does not currently have legal statewide sports betting, but some bills filed there have proposed an 18+ minimum age. These proposals are notable because they explicitly set an age lower than the 21+ minimum used by most regulated sports betting states.