A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced legislation that would require online sportsbooks and prediction markets to verify users’ ages through facial recognition technology before allowing bets or event trades.
Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) unveiled the Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act on 15 July alongside Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour and Representatives Jeff Van Drew, Nick LaLota, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Jimmy Panetta, Darren Soto, Tom Suozzi, Ritchie Torres and Bruce Westerman.
The proposal follows growing concern about underage gambling as online wagering and prediction markets expand across the United States.
Research from Common Sense Media found that 36% of boys aged 11 to 17 gambled during the past year, rising to 40% among those aged 14 to 17. More than one-quarter reported stress, family conflict and school-related problems. Officials in Iowa received more than 80 reports of underage betting, while Tennessee sportsbooks identified over 400 underage accounts during 2024.
Bill Sets Facial Age Verification Standard
The legislation would require covered platforms to estimate a user’s age using facial recognition technology before bets or trades can be placed. According to the proposal, the verification process would not store personal identities or biometric information.
“Right now, kids can too easily log into a parent’s or sibling’s account and bet real money. We’re asking our kids to self-police their way past a system built entirely on the honor code,” Gottheimer said.
Kalshi already uses Face ID checks, two-factor authentication and selfie verification for higher-risk users. Mansour said broader adoption is needed across the sector.
“Protecting kids should be a no brainer and is a top priority at Kalshi. Beyond what’s required of us, we already self-regulate and have a suite of measures in place to keep minors off our platform. But this can’t just be one company’s responsibility — it has to be an industry standard.”
ParentsRISE also backed the measure, saying, “We are glad these members see the threat of this next wave of products engineered for compulsive use.”
National Approach Under Consideration
The bill addresses differences between existing online gambling products. Traditional online sportsbooks generally require customers to be at least 21 years old, while prediction markets allow participation from age 18. Critics argue this gives younger users easier access to gambling-like activities.
New York has proposed biometric checks at every login, although no nationwide standard currently exists.
Lawmakers said the legislation builds on earlier efforts to strengthen online protections for minors. Gottheimer pointed to the Parents Decide Act, Sammy’s Law and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act.
“By implementing proven facial recognition technology, we can safeguard children from the risks of underage gambling while protecting user privacy,” Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15) said.
Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-8) added, “Kids under the age of 18 shouldn’t be making bets, but now it’s just a few taps away on their phones. Our commonsense, bipartisan bill will put a stop to it.”
If enacted, the legislation would establish a federal age-verification requirement for online sportsbooks and prediction markets, reflecting growing congressional attention to youth access as online betting products continue to expand.
Source:
“New U.S. Bill Seeks Facial Recognition to Prevent Underage Betting”, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, Jul 16, 2026
The post US Lawmakers Push Facial Age Checks for Online Betting first appeared on RealMoneyAction.com.