Hickenlooper ... introduced the Banning Event Trading on Speculative Technologies (BEST) Act to prohibit prediction markets on war and government actions.
Ban prediction markets on war and government actions through federal legislation.
Occurrences
The bill prohibits federally elected officials and government employees from using insider information to bet on prediction market contracts.
The bicameral bill would ban betting through prediction markets on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions. ... The STOP Corrupt Bets Act would: Explicitly prohibit event contracts on: Elections and their outcome; Government actions across all branches unless there’s a commercial hedging need; Sports, and; U.S. or foreign military actions.
Senators Chris Murphy and John Hickenlooper introduced the BETS OFF Act. This legislation aims to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari co-introduced the BETS OFF Act, aiming to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome.
Representative Jamie Raskin and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act to ban prediction market betting on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions.
The bill, H.R. 7942 , would explicitly prohibit any Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entity from listing any contract that involves, relates to, or references terrorism, assassination, war, or an individual’s death. Sen. Adam Schiff leads the Senate version of the bill.
The Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act bans wagers on war, cracks down on insider trading, and protects consumers from fraud ... the bill: ... Bans prediction market listings related to war, death, and military action;
We write to urge the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to prohibit event contracts tied to U.S. military operations and investigate whether any insider trading has occurred in connection with recent military strikes against Iran. ... To address dangerous national security, market integrity, and immoral outcomes, the CFTC must enforce the law and immediately halt trading in event contracts tied to U.S. military operations.
Senators John Hickenlooper and Jack Reed sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig, urging the CFTC to prohibit gambling contracts on events tied to U.S. military operations.
Evidence
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On March 9, 2026, Senators John Hickenlooper and Jack Reed sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig, urging the CFTC to prohibit gambling contracts on events tied to U.S. military operations. This action was in response to reports of users profiting from bets on U.S. strikes in Iran and the death of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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On March 18, 2026, Senators John Hickenlooper and Chris Murphy introduced the Banning Event Trading on Sensitive Operations and Federal Functions (BETS OFF) Act. This legislation aims to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome. The bill also seeks to enforce these rules by shutting down payment systems to illegal online platforms and imposing criminal penalties for those involved.
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On March 9, 2026, Senators Jack Reed and John Hickenlooper called on the CFTC to prohibit event contracts tied to U.S. military operations and to investigate potential insider trading related to recent military strikes against Iran. They emphasized the national security risks and moral concerns associated with such prediction markets.
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On March 26, 2026, Senators Jeff Merkley and Representative Jamie Raskin introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act, aiming to ban betting through prediction markets on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions. This legislation responds to the recent growth of prediction markets offering event contracts on sensitive topics.
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On March 30, 2026, Senators Adam Schiff and John Curtis introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit CFTC-registered entities from listing prediction contracts related to sporting events. The bill also seeks to prohibit 'casino-style games' from being listed on these platforms.
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On March 26, 2026, Senators Todd Young and Elissa Slotkin introduced the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026. The bill prohibits federally elected officials and government employees from using insider information to bet on prediction market contracts.
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On March 18, 2026, Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari co-introduced the BETS OFF Act, aiming to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome. The bill also seeks to enforce these rules by shutting down payment systems to illegal online platforms and imposing criminal penalties for those involved.
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On March 18, 2026, Congressman Gabe Amo, along with Senators Chris Murphy and John Hickenlooper, introduced the BETS OFF Act. This legislation aims to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome. The bill also seeks to enforce these rules by shutting down payment systems to illegal online platforms and imposing criminal penalties for those involved.
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Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Jack Reed sent a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig calling on the CFTC to prohibit gambling contracts on events tied to U.S. military operations.
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Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX-35) and Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) unveiled the Banning Event Trading on Sensitive Operations and Federal Functions (BETS OFF) Act, bicameral legislation to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome.
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Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jamie Raskin introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act to ban prediction market betting on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions.
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U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and John Curtis introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entities from listing prediction contracts that resemble sports bets or casino-style games.
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U.S. Senators Todd Young, Elissa Slotkin, John Curtis, and Adam Schiff introduced the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 to prohibit federally elected officials and government employees from using insider information to bet on prediction market contracts.
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U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act to prevent abuse and fraud in prediction markets, including banning wagers on war and cracking down on insider trading.
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Representative Jamie Raskin and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the STOP Corrupt Bets Act to ban prediction market betting on elections, government actions, sports, and military actions.
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Representative Mike Levin introduced the DEATH BETS Act to explicitly prohibit any Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entity from listing any contract that involves, relates to, or references terrorism, assassination, war, or an individual’s death.
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GovInfo shows S. 4115 was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Murphy with Sen. Hickenlooper as cosponsor, read twice, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill text is the BETS OFF Act, which would prohibit wagers on specified events, including government actions and war-related outcomes.
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In a May 20, 2026 Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing, Hickenlooper questioned prediction market witnesses about insider trading, CFTC oversight, and consumer risks, and said prediction markets should be reined in.
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Last Action Date Listed March 17, 2026 Action Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary Bill Number S. 4115 Bill Version Introduced in Senate (IS)
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It shall be unlawful for any person to place, accept, or facilitate the placement or acceptance of a wager regarding a specified event.
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Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Chris Murphy introduced the Banning Event Trading on Sensitive Operations and Federal Functions (BETS OFF) Act, bicameral legislation to ban wagering on government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome.
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Mr. MURPHY (for himself and Mr. HICKENLOOPER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
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Product Name: Treasury Fiscal-Year-to-Date Customs Duties Receipts Contracts (CUSDCD) Type: Swap (Binary Option) Status: Certified Date: 2026-10-06 00:00:00
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The advisory outlines the limited circumstances in which such contracts may be listed consistently with the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations
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Last Action Date Listed March 17, 2026 Action Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
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It shall be unlawful for any person to place, accept, or facilitate the placement or acceptance of a wager regarding a specified event.
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Mr. Casar (for himself, Mr. Amo, Ms. Ansari, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Financial Services
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Bills and resolutions Enact (see S. 4115 ), S1090 [17MR] (see H.R. 7955 ), H2550 [17MR]
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is proposing to further define the term ‘‘swap’’ to explicitly include event contracts, including those based on sports-, politics-, cultural-, and weather-related events
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Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
Assessments
John Hickenlooper co-sponsored and helped advance the BETS OFF Act and related CFTC pressure efforts to ban prediction markets on war and government actions, but the record here shows introduction, referral, and advocacy only. There is no evidence that the federal ban was enacted, so the promised outcome was not delivered.
Multiple pieces of evidence confirm that Senator Hickenlooper made significant legislative and regulatory efforts toward banning prediction markets on war and government actions. He co-introduced the BETS OFF Act (targeting betting on sensitive government actions, war, and assassination), joined letters urging the CFTC to take regulatory action, and engaged in related legislative activities. However, no evidence confirms that comprehensive federal legislation completing the ban was enacted; all cited actions remain at the bill introduction or advocacy stage.
Senator John Hickenlooper took significant legislative and executive actions toward banning prediction markets on war and government actions, including co-introducing the BETS OFF Act and urging the CFTC to prohibit such contracts. Multiple bills addressing the issue, some with Hickenlooper's sponsorship or support, were introduced. However, there is no evidence that the proposed federal legislation was signed into law or fully enacted, so the promise is only partially fulfilled. The timing of efforts aligns with the current term.
Senator John Hickenlooper actively co-introduced and advocated for the BETS OFF Act and urged the CFTC to take regulatory action, fulfilling the commitment to make a serious legislative and executive attempt to ban prediction markets on war and government actions. However, there is no evidence that a federal legislative ban has actually been enacted; only proposals and requests for regulatory action are documented. Therefore, the promise was partially fulfilled due to meaningful effort but not final delivery.