Rep. Moulton introduces bill in U.S. House to reaffirm CFTC authority over prediction markets

The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton in the U.S. House seeks to strengthen regulatory authority and deter illegal trading activities in prediction markets, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.8148 was introduced on March 27, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill reaffirms the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s authority to enforce regulations against prohibited activities in prediction markets. It defines a prediction market contract as any financial instrument or derivative linked to the occurrence of future events offered by platforms involved in interstate commerce. The bill explicitly clarifies that existing legal provisions concerning illegal trading practices, found in Sections 4(c) and 6(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act, apply to these contracts. By emphasizing enforcement capabilities, the measure aims to deter insider speculation and knowledge-trading in these markets. The bill is intended to enhance the integrity of prediction markets and prevent illicit trading practices.

The bill was introduced only by Rep. Seth Moulton (Democrat-MA-6th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Moulton has introduced another 14 bills, with one of them being adopted.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Seth Moulton is a Representative from Massachusetts, born on October 24, 1978, in Salem, Essex County. He graduated from Harvard University with a B.S. in 2001 and later earned an M.B.A. and an M.P.P. from the same institution in 2011; he also served in the United States Marine Corps from 2002 to 2008. Moulton has been elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress and to the five succeeding Congresses since January 3, 2015.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Congress. The source data can be found here.