When Gov. Andy Beshear signed sports betting into law on March 31, he made Kentucky the biggest U.S. jurisdiction by population to adopt a legal wagering age of 18. Of the 26 legal digital states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, only six currently allow betting at 18, and four of those — Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C. — are regulated by state lotteries.
Brianne Doura-Schawohl, a responsible gambling consultant representing the National Council for Problem Gambling, told Sports Handle that research has shown there are an estimated 4 to 8% of adolescents presently exhibiting a serious gambling problem, with another 10 to 14% of adolescents at risk for developing or returning to a serious gambling problem.
