Casino Union UNITE HERE Urges Congress to Ban Sports Prediction Markets, Citing Threat to Jobs
Posted on: June 4, 2026, 02:58h.
Last updated on: June 8, 2026, 07:19h.
- The UNITE HERE union is calling on Congress to outlaw sports prediction contracts as the landmark crypto-focused CLARITY Act inches toward a floor vote
- Industry analysts warn that the pending crypto framework could inadvertently legitimize decentralized betting platforms by removing key regulatory ambiguities
- The labor group emphasizes that unregulated “event derivatives” bypass state gaming laws, threatening the jobs of over 100,000 brick-and-mortar casino workers
With the CLARITY Act gaining momentum, a major gaming and leisure union is calling on Congress to ban prediction markets from offering sports and casino-style event contracts.
Unite Here, which represents over 100,000 employees of commercial and tribal casinos, says those jobs could be jeopardized if Congress allows prediction markets to offer casino-style bets, including sports event contracts.
Their livelihoods are now threatened by prediction markets conducting illegal sports betting in violation of Tribal sovereignty and state laws across the country,” said UNITE HERE President Gwen Mills in a statement. “Congress must take immediate action to ban prediction markets from conducting sports betting and casino style games.”
Formerly the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, the CLARITY Act is aimed at bolstering the US cryptocurrency industry and doesn’t contain provisions specific to prediction markets’ ability to offer sports derivatives.
However, critics warn that the legislation would clear up the legal ambiguities surrounding decentralized finance (DeFi). This regulatory clarity could greenlight a massive wave of institutional capital for platforms like Polymarket and other prediction exchanges operating in the DeFi space.
UNITE HERE Sees Prediction Markets as Attack on Jobs
UNITE HERE’s call for Congress to ban prediction markets from offering sports derivatives arrives about two weeks after the American Gaming Association (AGA) — the trade body representing companies employing Unite Here members — took a similar stance.
In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, AGA President Bill Miller said prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are circumventing state regulations by offering sports derivatives, potentially harming consumer protections and tribal sovereignty in the process.
Traditional sports betting is regulated at the state level and in states, such as Florida, where Native American tribes have exclusive gaming compacts, the tribes work with the states to establish sports betting guidelines.
However, the prediction markets industry argues it’s not beholden to those protocols because its federally regulated by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
For its part, UNITE HERE views prediction markets pilfering business from commercial and tribal casinos as an “attack” on its members’ jobs.
“Good casino jobs allow our members to buy their first homes, send their kids to college, and quit second jobs to spend more time with their families,” adds Mills. “We will not allow prediction markets to attack our jobs and turn back our progress.”
UNITE HERE Perspective Has Bipartisan Support
It remains to be seen if Congress alters the CLARITY Act to enhance prediction market-specific regulations, but it is clear that there is bipartisan support for legislating that yes/no exchanges are offering a new form of sports betting and simply framing it as a financial transaction.
The recently introduced Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act is supported by Democrat and Republican senators from states with heavy concentrations of both commercial and tribal casinos as well as lawmakers from states that are famously anti-gaming. Unite Here wants to see that bill become law.
“As the Senate considers cryptocurrency market structure legislation, this is an urgent moment to reaffirm congressional intent that gambling is governed by Tribal and state authorities,” concludes Mills.
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