Kalshi backs U.S. bill requiring facial recognition age checks for prediction markets

A bipartisan U.S. bill would require online sportsbooks and prediction markets to verify users’ ages before login, bets or trades using facial-analysis technology that estimates age without storing identity or biometric data. Rep. Josh Gottheimer introduced the Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act with eight co-sponsors, extending the proposal across both betting platforms and prediction markets. Kalshi is backing the measure, with CEO Tarek Mansour arguing that protecting children is “a no-brainer” and that the industry needs a common standard. Kalshi operates as a CFTC-regulated entity and already uses age-verification measures, so a federal rule would move competitors toward similar compliance requirements. Gottheimer cast the proposal as a response to minors using accounts belonging to parents, siblings or friends. The bill is also backed by child-safety group ParentsRISE. The process described is more accurately facial age estimation than conventional facial recognition, because it assesses how old a person appears rather than identifying who they are. The proposal comes amid broader scrutiny of youth gambling and online betting. Lawmakers cited a Common Sense Media study finding that 36% of U.S. boys ages 11 through 17 had taken part in at least one gambling or gambling-like activity in the prior year, though the survey used a broad definition and 12% reported sports-related gambling. NIST said six age-estimation algorithms had an average error of 3.1 years. Key details remain unresolved, including the bill text, bill number, enforcement mechanism, penalties, technical standards, appeals process and how uncertain or disputed age estimates would be handled.