A veto override in Kentucky, mixed signals in Virginia, and growing momentum for sweepstakes and prediction market bills highlight another busy week for U.S. gambling legislation.
This week marked another busy week across U.S. legislatures, including a veto override of a broader gaming bill in Kentucky, a governor vetoing and signing bills in Virginia, and sweeps and prediction markets bills seeing both momentum and stalling.
Here are the gambling bills that mattered this week.
Governor Actions: Kentucky Override, Virginia Splits Approach
Kentucky Lawmakers Override Veto On HB 904
On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed HB 904, a broad gambling bill that raises the legal betting age to 21, introduces a regulatory framework for daily fantasy sports (DFS), and restricts licensed operators from engaging with prediction markets.
However, the next day, the legislature overrode his veto and passed the bill just before the 2026 legislative session adjourned.
Why it Matters:
- Kentucky was one of the few states that allowed legal betting at 18. With the new law, the state aligns with most of the rest of the U.S.
- The state also becomes one of the first to explicitly prohibit licensees from partnering with prediction markets.
Virginia Gov. Vetoes Skill Games, Casino Bills; Signs DFS
In Virginia, Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed two gambling expansion bills: legislation to legalize skill games and a Fairfax County casino referendum. She cited a lack of support from the Fairfax community and the absence of an established centralized gaming regulator as reasons.
At the same time, Spanberger signed into law bills that would regulate DFS.
Why it Matters:
- Spanberger has signaled that a centralized gaming regulator needs to be a priority before any future gaming expansion, including iGaming.
- The governor has also signaled that any commercial casino expansion needs local support.
- Like Kentucky, Virginia is moving to regulate DFS, indicating growing interest in bringing unregulated gaming under state oversight.
Sweepstakes: Louisiana, Tennessee, and Oklahoma Bills Advance, Maryland Stalls
Louisiana Advances Sweeps Bills HB 883, HB 53
The Louisiana House passed HB 883, which directly targets dual-currency sweepstakes casinos. The bill now moves to the Senate.
Louisiana previously passed a sweepstakes ban bill in 2025, but Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed it, arguing existing enforcement powers were sufficient.
Meanwhile, HB 53, a separate measure using racketeering statutes to target illegal gambling operations, has moved through a Senate committee and is now under Legislative Bureau review. The bill cleared the House at the end of March.
Why it Matters:
Louisiana lawmakers are moving ahead with multiple approaches to target unregulated gaming, including sweepstakes casinos, potentially joining a growing list of states that have banned the platforms.
Tennessee HB 1885 Moves To House Floor
Tennessee’s HB 1885, which prohibits “online sweepstakes games” that use virtual currency, has cleared committee stages and is scheduled for a House floor vote. Notably, lawmakers have also filed amendments that would align the bill with its Senate counterpart, which passed in its original chamber earlier this session.
Why it Matters:
Tennessee is approaching the final stages of a potential ban on sweepstakes casinos. However, with the session ending April 24, the bill still needs to clear final votes in both chambers.
Oklahoma SB 1589 Advances In House
After limited movement since its Senate passage, Oklahoma’s SB 1589 has picked up momentum in the House and advanced through a committee this week.
The measure amends the state’s gambling statute to explicitly include online casino-style offerings, including those using dual-currency systems.
Why it Matters:
Having already cleared the Senate, the bill is moving toward enactment, reinforcing the broader national trend toward sweepstakes restrictions.
Minnesota SF 4474 Advances In Senate
Minnesota’s SF 4474, which prohibits “online sweepstakes games” that use dual currency, has advanced through multiple Senate committees and moves closer to a Senate floor vote.
Why it Matters:
The bill has cleared three committees, showing sustained legislative interest in banning sweepstakes casinos, even as procedural steps slow its pace.
Maryland Sweeps Bills Die As Session Ends
While several states have advanced bills, Maryland’s HB 295 and HB 1226 failed to pass before the legislative session adjourned on April 13, ending their chances this year.
Both measures passed in the House but ran out of time in the Senate. Notably, in 2025, the Senate passed a ban bill, which stalled in the House.
Why it Matters:
The outcomes across 2025 and 2026 indicate sustained legislative interest, but continued difficulty reaching agreement across chambers.
Prediction Markets: Advances In Minnesota And Tennessee, Iowa Stalls
Tennessee HB 2079 Heads To House Floor
Tennessee’s HB 2079, which makes it a felony to participate in prediction markets, has cleared the committee stage and has been placed on the House calendar for a floor vote.
Why it Matters:
Like sweepstakes casinos, Tennessee lawmakers are moving ahead with updating gaming statutes to criminalize unregulated sectors. However, the complex legal battles on state vs. federal oversight of prediction markets could prove a hurdle in passing a bill.
Minnesota SF 4511 Advances In Senate
In addition to sweepstakes casinos, Minnesota lawmakers advanced SF 4511, which targets prediction markets. Similarly, the bill has moved through several committees, getting closer to a full Senate floor vote.
Why it Matters:
Minnesota lawmakers show a growing interest in prohibiting unregulated gaming, including prediction markets.
Iowa SF 2470 Stalls In House Committee
Despite passing the Senate 45-1, Iowa’s SF 2470 has been tabled by a House committee, making it inactive.
Why it Matters:
Tabling the bill does not kill it, but effectively stalls it. Given that the 2026 legislative session adjourns on April 21, the measure has limited time for potential reactivation and passage.
The Bottom Line
This week underscored a fragmented yet accelerating policy shift, with states targeting unregulated sectors through bans, expanded enforcement, and selective regulation.
The post Kentucky Override, Virginia Vetoes and Sweeps Push: Gambling Bills That Mattered This Week appeared first on Gambling Insider.
