Prediction Markets’ Wild West Days May Be Over: CFTC Drafts Its First Major Framework
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has unveiled its first regulatory framework for prediction markets, releasing what it described as a proposed approach to governing the industry under American law. The plan, issued by the agency on Wednesday, would establish standards for certain types of wagering while leaving markets tied to elections and politics largely outside the category of activities that would trigger more intensive scrutiny. Where The Line Is Drawn The new proposal sets out how the agency would start determining whether a contract should be prohibited. Under the draft, the CFTC said it preliminarily views both sporting wagers and wagers involving games of chance and pure luck as falling under “gaming.” At the same time, it suggests that wagering on sports outcomes is likely not broadly contrary to the public interest, while staking money on gambling or games of pure luck likely would be. The framework further argues that prediction markets based on sports