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US lawmakers blame operators for youth-targeted gambling ads
Five Democratic members of the House have sent a letter to sportsbook and prediction market CEOs, stressing that their marketing campaigns and ads have led to the normalization of gambling among the youth.
The letter was sent on May 11, 2026, sponsored by U.S. Representatives Valerie Foushee, Paul Tonko, Betty McCollum, Kevin Mullin, and Senator Richard Blumenthal, in which they called for bet365, Polymarket, BetMGM, FanDuel, Fanatics, Kalshi, Robinhood, DraftKings, and Caesars to take part in a briefing to discuss the operators’ role in targeting people aged 18-24.
The 5-page letter stated:
“We are particularly alarmed by the rapid normalization of online gambling among younger Americans and the targeting of this demographic through predatory advertising. Prediction market platforms have been central to this trend, whose “trade on anything” advertisements encourage speculative wagering among audiences particularly susceptible to messaging that exploits financial hardship and presents these wagers as a reliable pathway to financial stability. In one TikTok advertisement, the text overlay reads, “I was about to be unable to pay my rent, but I got two years of rent through Kalshi’s predictions. It’s amazing!” Aggressive advertising campaigns, coupled with partnerships between prediction markets and major media outlets…have made it easier for younger Americans to fall victim to a culture of “everything is gambling.”
The letter also noted that studies have revealed that 77% of Americans think prediction markets can increase young adult gambling-related harm, while many citizens believe that prediction markets are considered gambling, not investing.
The lawmakers are expecting to receive written responses from the CEOs no later than May 29, 2026.
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