TLDR
- Rep. Josh Gottheimer introduced the Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act on July 16, 2026.
- The bill requires online sportsbooks and prediction markets to scan a user’s face to estimate age.
- Prediction market company Kalshi and the group ParentsRISE support the bill.
- Kalshi already uses Face ID checks, two-factor authentication, and extra rules for users age 18 to 21.
- Prediction markets currently allow users as young as 18, while most sportsbooks require users to be 21.
A new bipartisan bill in Congress would require online sportsbooks and prediction markets to use facial recognition to check a user’s age.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey introduced the measure on July 16, 2026. It is called the Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act.
The bill would require platforms to scan a user’s face to estimate their age. This would happen either at login or right before a bet is placed.
Gottheimer’s office said the system would not store personal identities or biometric records. The scan would only be used to check age.
The bill has support from prediction market company Kalshi and the advocacy group ParentsRISE.
Several lawmakers from both parties have signed on as co-sponsors. They include Jeff Van Drew, Nick LaLota, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Jimmy Panetta, Darren Soto, Tom Suozzi, Ritchie Torres, and Bruce Westerman.
Gottheimer said current age checks rely on trust rather than real verification. He said children can use a parent’s, sibling’s, or friend’s account to place bets without anyone checking.
“We’re asking our kids to self-police their way past a system built entirely on the honor code,” Gottheimer said. “We wouldn’t accept that at a casino in Las Vegas. We shouldn’t accept it on the phone in our kid’s back pocket.”
Kalshi Says It Backs the Bill
Kalshi chief executive Tarek Mansour said protecting minors is central to the company’s mission. He said age verification should become standard across the industry.
Kalshi added Face ID checks in May to stop minors from using a parent’s account.
The company also uses two-factor authentication and expanded selfie verification. It added extra checks for users between 18 and 21.
Kalshi requires proof of funds from some traders. It also added prompts that encourage deposit limits and responsible play.
The company said it will put $2 million toward health and safety programs with the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Gottheimer’s bill would turn many of these voluntary steps into a nationwide rule for sportsbooks and prediction markets.
Age Limits Remain a Point of Debate
The minimum age for prediction markets is one of the most debated topics in the industry right now.
Most regulated sportsbooks set their age limit at 21. Prediction markets allow users to start trading at 18.
Regulators, addiction specialists, and sports leagues such as the NBA have said this gap leaves younger users exposed to gambling-style products.
Prediction markets have grown in popularity with college students and young adults this year.
Reports this year pointed to easy access for users under 21. Critics pointed to social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and campus outreach as ways operators reach younger users.
Lawmakers introduced more than two dozen bills in 2025 dealing with youth protections, advertising rules, insider trading, and conflicts of interest in prediction markets.
The debate over age limits and safeguards in prediction markets continues in Washington as the new bill moves forward.
