Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act

Sponsor: Josh Gottheimer (Democratic-NJ)July 15, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Requires online gambling and prediction markets to use facial recognition to verify users are 19 or older.

This bill would require online gambling and prediction market platforms to use facial recognition technology to confirm users are 19 or older. It would also give the government more power to oversee prediction markets, especially those offered to everyday people. These changes aim to protect consumers and prevent underage access to these platforms.

What Would Change

Today, online gambling and prediction market platforms do not have a federal requirement to use facial recognition to verify users are 19 or older. This bill would make facial recognition mandatory for these platforms to ensure users are 19 or older. It would also introduce new, specific rules for how prediction markets operate and are marketed to everyday people, which are not currently in place.

Key Provisions

Requires online gambling and prediction market platforms to use facial recognition to verify users are 19 or older.
Limits the personal data collected by platforms for age verification and requires deletion of unnecessary data.
Gives the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) power to enforce age verification rules and create new regulations.
Allows the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to block prediction market contracts based on unlawful activities, terrorism, or violence.
Requires prediction market platforms to follow new rules for marketing and customer identification, including anti-money laundering programs and age verification.
Establishes an Advisory Council on Consumer Protection to recommend ways to protect everyday investors in prediction markets.

View on Congress.gov

HR 9706 · 119th Congress · July 15, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 7/10

Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity