{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-403.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-403.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-403.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-403.html"}],"law_id":72053,"edition_id":1,"section_id":72053,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-403","catch_line":"Prohibition on persons under 21 years of age; penalty","history":"1988, c. 855; 1996, cc. 915, 1025; 2022, cc. 502, 503.","full_text":"No person shall wager on or conduct any wagering on the outcome of a horse race pursuant to the provisions of this chapter unless such person is 18 years of age or older. No person shall accept any wager from a minor. No person shall be admitted into a satellite facility if such person is under 18 years of age unless accompanied by one of his parents or his legal guardian. No person under 21 years of age shall use any electronic gaming terminal or other electronic device in a satellite facility to wager on or conduct any wagering on historical horse racing. Violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":259641,"text":"No person shall wager on or conduct any wagering on the outcome of a horse race pursuant to the provisions of this chapter unless such person is 18 years of age or older. No person shall accept any wager from a minor. No person shall be admitted into a satellite facility if such person is under 18 years of age unless accompanied by one of his parents or his legal guardian. No person under 21 years of age shall use any electronic gaming terminal or other electronic device in a satellite facility to wager on or conduct any wagering on historical horse racing. Violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15234,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Penalties","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13336,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:13","permalink":{"id":261217,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15234,"identifier":"6","token":"59.1\/29\/6","url":"\/59.1\/29\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13336,"edition_id":1,"name":"Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering","identifier":"29","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","permalink":{"id":261047,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13336,"identifier":"29","token":"59.1\/29","url":"\/59.1\/29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76932,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-395","catch_line":"Unlawful conduct of wagering","url":"\/59.1-395\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-395","metadata":false},{"id":58000,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-396","catch_line":"Fraudulent use of credential","url":"\/59.1-396\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-396","metadata":false},{"id":63315,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-397","catch_line":"Unlawful transmission of information","url":"\/59.1-397\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-397","metadata":false},{"id":71643,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-398","catch_line":"Touting","url":"\/59.1-398\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-398","metadata":false},{"id":67671,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-399","catch_line":"Bribing of a jockey, driver or other participant","url":"\/59.1-399\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-399","metadata":false},{"id":79191,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-400","catch_line":"Prohibited acts, administration of drugs, etc.; penalty","url":"\/59.1-400\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-400","metadata":false},{"id":84953,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-401","catch_line":"Possessing drugs","url":"\/59.1-401\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-401","metadata":false},{"id":76870,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-402","catch_line":"Racing under false name; penalty","url":"\/59.1-402\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-402","metadata":false},{"id":72053,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-403","catch_line":"Prohibition on persons under 21 years of age; penalty","url":"\/59.1-403\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-403","metadata":false},{"id":71353,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-404","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/59.1-404\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-404","metadata":false},{"id":75023,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-405","catch_line":"Conspiracies and attempts to commit violations","url":"\/59.1-405\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-405","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":76870,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-402","catch_line":"Racing under false name; penalty","url":"\/59.1-402\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-402","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71353,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-404","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/59.1-404\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-404","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-403\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 855 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1996, chapters 915<\/a> and 1025<\/a>; in 2022, chapters 502<\/a> and 503<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":261251,"object_type":"law","relational_id":72053,"identifier":"59.1-403","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-403","url":"\/59.1-403\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-403\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-403","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prohibition on persons under 21 years of age; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-403","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

No person<\/span> shall wager on or conduct any wagering on the outcome of a horse race pursuant to the provisions of this chapter unless such person<\/span> is 18 years of age or older. No person<\/span> shall accept any wager from a minor<\/span>. No person<\/span> shall be admitted into a satellite facility<\/span> if such person<\/span> is under 18 years of age unless accompanied by one of his parents or his legal guardian. No person<\/span> under 21 years of age shall use any electronic gaming terminal or other electronic device in a satellite facility<\/span> to wager on or conduct any wagering on historical horse racing<\/span>. Violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROHIBITION ON PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE; PENALTY (\u00a7 59.1-403)\n\nNo person shall wager on or conduct any wagering on the outcome of a horse race\npursuant to the provisions of this chapter unless such person is 18 years of age\nor older. No person shall accept any wager from a minor. No person shall be\nadmitted into a satellite facility if such person is under 18 years of age\nunless accompanied by one of his parents or his legal guardian. No person under\n21 years of age shall use any electronic gaming terminal or other electronic\ndevice in a satellite facility to wager on or conduct any wagering on historical\nhorse racing. Violation of this section shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 855; 1996, cc. 915, 1025; 2022, cc. 502, 503.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}