US House Bill Seeks To Ban Lawmakers From Wagering On Prediction Markets
A new House bill, the Stop Lawmakers from Predicting Act, would bar members of Congress, their spouses, and dependents from betting on political outcomes or public policy events in prediction markets. House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil framed it as an ethics measure meant to prevent lawmakers from profiting from privileged policy knowledge. Violations could bring civil penalties, and unpaid penalties by former members could be referred to the DOJ. The bill does not ban retail participation in prediction markets; it targets insider-style conflicts among elected officials. That matters for crypto-linked prediction markets, where users have been early adopters of political and macro event contracts. The proposal signals growing Washington scrutiny of this sector and suggests future rules may focus on disclosure, insider restrictions, and market integrity rather than banning the products outright. The bill still needs to pass Congress and be signed into law, so the final scope could change.
