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Gaming groups push Senate to bar sports prediction markets from crypto bill

Gaming groups push Senate to bar sports prediction markets from crypto bill

U.S. gambling industry groups want Congress to clarify that sports- and casino-related event contracts are not under CFTC authority as lawmakers advance crypto market structure legislation.

Fact Check
Multiple independent outlets confirm the claim. The Block, citing a June 16, 2026 Semafor report and a signed industry letter from the American Gaming Association, Indian Gaming Association, and Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, reports these groups are urging the Senate to add language to the CLARITY Act banning sports and casino-style prediction markets. Cointelegraph reports the same effort, specifically that the groups want Congress to affirm sports betting falls outside the CFTC's remit. Roll Call corroborates the broader Senate-level dispute and AGA's critical stance. These align directly with the claim that gaming industry groups want Congress to clarify sports/casino event contracts are not under CFTC authority as crypto market structure legislation advances.
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Summary

U.S. gaming industry groups are urging the Senate to amend pending crypto market structure legislation to block sports- and casino-related prediction markets on crypto platforms and clarify that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. derivatives regulator, lacks authority over those markets. The American Gaming Association, the Indian Gaming Association, and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers argue that products such as sports event contracts bypass state gambling rules. The push comes as lawmakers advance the Clarity Act, states challenge Kalshi and Polymarket, and the CFTC considers possible rule changes, underscoring a growing jurisdictional clash between state-regulated gambling systems and federally overseen event contracts.

Terms & Concepts
  • prediction markets: Platforms where traders buy and sell contracts tied to the outcome of future events.
  • event contracts: Tradable contracts that pay out based on whether a specified event happens.
  • CFTC: The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal regulator for derivatives markets.