Senate Democrats Move to Ban War-Based Prediction Markets with DEATH BETS Act
Senate Democrats have introduced legislation targeting prediction markets tied to violent events, seeking to amend the Commodity Exchange Act. The DEATH BETS Act, proposed by Sen. Adam Schiff, explicitly prohibits contracts linked to war, terrorism, assassination, or individual deaths. Regulatory discretion would be removed from the CFTC, which recently withdrew a broader proposal on political event contracts.
Lawmakers cited concerns about insider trading risks in markets tied to military strikes or assassinations. Companion bills are advancing in the House, signaling coordinated opposition to event-based trading on human casualties. The move follows growing scrutiny of prediction markets' ethical boundaries in financial regulation.