Spotlight Online betting scandals are getting worse. Will Congress intervene? Zachary Schermele USA Today May 4, 2026 May 4, 2026 Updated May 11, 2026 0 × Straight Arrow News Polymarket is stepping up oversight after prosecutors charged a U.S. soldier with using classified information to bet on a military operation. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save WASHINGTON — As scandals continue to plague popular online betting platforms, calls to intervene grow louder within Congress.kAmr@?EC@G6CD:6D =2DE >@?E9 — 7C@> A@=:E:42= 42?5:52E6D AC@7:E:?8 7C@> E96:C @H? 42>A2:8?D E@ 2 D@=5:6CVD 2==6865 36E @? 2 >2;@C >:=:E2CJ @A6C2E:@? — AC@>AE65 2 F?2?:>@FD pAC:= b_ 564:D:@? E@ 492?86 E96 $6?2E6VD CF=6D] $6?2E@CD 2?5 E96:C DE277 >6>36CD H6C6 32??65 7C@> EC25:?8 @? 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'Top Gun: Maverick' actor was 81 Health center’s director denies clinic harmed patients by over-prescribing opioids The true story of a weather forecast that changed the world on D-Day Memorial Wall dedication marks America 250 at Dow City Cemetery Inside the NBA and WNBA's booming player-to-broadcast pipeline MLB's latest analytics battleground: Who gets to call pitches? Broadway review: ‘Schmigadoon’ works better on stage than streaming TV kAmQxE D9@F=5 36 6G6CJ3@5J[Q $6?] y2>6D {2?<7@C5[ #\~<=2][ E@=5 &$p %@52J] Q$E2CE:?8 H:E9 >6>36CD W@7 r@?8C6DDX]Qk^AmkAmpC<2?D2D #6A] uC6?49 w:==[ E96 #6AF3=:42? 492:C>2? @7 9:D 492>36CVD u:?2?4:2= $6CG:46D r@>>:EE66[ D2:5 E96 w@FD6 @7 #6AC6D6?E2E:G6D :D =@@<:?8 2E AC@9:3:E:@?D 7@C :ED =2H>2<6CD D:>:=2C E@ H92E E96 $6?2E6 A2DD65] w6 6IA64ED E96 6I64FE:G6 3C2?49 E@ C6G:6H :ED CF=6D[ E@@]k^Am Scandals involving online prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have ramped up pressure on Congress to act. Alan Nguyen, USA Today illustration kAmq:==D H6C6 :?EC@5F465 :? C646?E >@?E9D D66<:?8 E@ C6:? :? E96 A=2E7@C>D[ J6E 2 4@>A=:42E65 =682= 2?5 A@=:E:42= =2?5D42A6 =:6D 29625]k^Am kAm$E2E6D 2?5 EC:32= 8@G6C?>6?ED 2C6 :? 2? @?8@:?8 32EE=6 H:E9 2 7656C2= 286?4J 23@FE H9@ 92D E96 AC:>2CJ 2FE9@C:EJ E@ C68F=2E6 E96 6?E:E:6D] r@?8C6DD[ 92>A6C65 3J v~! :?7:89E:?8[ DECF88=65 =2E6=J E@ 5@ 6G6? 32D:4 =68:D=2E:?8 — =6E 2=@?6 255 >@C6 E@ :ED A=2E6] p?5 !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>AVD 4@>A=:42E65 E:6D E@ E96 :?5FDECJ H@?VE >2<6 AFCDF:?8 C68F=2E@CJ 677@CED 62D:6C]k^Am kAm$E:==[ $6?] #:492C5 q=F>6?E92=[ s\r@??][ D2:5 E96C6VD 2 Q8@@5 492?46Q r@?8C6DD H:== 86E >@C6 :?G@=G65 @? E96 :DDF6] Q!C65:4E:@? >2C<6ED 4CJ @FE 7@C D@>6 <:?5 @7 =68:D=2E:G6 :?E6CG6?E:@?[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am kAm$A@<6DA6@A=6 7@C z2=D9: 2?5 !@=J>2C<6E[ E96 EH@ 3:886DE AC65:4E:@? >2C<6ED[ A@:?E65 E@ @?=:?6 DE2E6>6?ED :? DFAA@CE @7 32??:?8 =2H>2<6CD 7C@> :?D:56C EC25:?8 @? 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E96 E:>:?8 @7 E96 @A6C2E:@?] w6 A=62565 ?@E 8F:=EJ E@ :?D:56C EC25:?8 492C86D]k^AmkAm%96 :?4:56?E H2D 2 Q567:?:E6 ?2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ E9C62E[Q D2:5 q=F>6?E92=[ 2 |2C:?6 r@CAD G6E6C2?]k^Am Crime-courts Justice Department charges soldier accused of betting $400,000 on Maduro removal Jasper Ward Reuters k9am#68F=2E@CJ 7:89Ek^9am kAm~?6 @7 E96 3:886DE 32CC:6CD E@ 7FCE96C C68F=2E:?8 AC65:4E:@? >2C<6ED :D 2 7:89E @G6C H9@ 92D A@H6C @G6C E96>]k^Am kAm%96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E D2JD :EVD E96 r@>>@5:EJ uFEFC6D %C25:?8 r@>>:DD:@?] %96 ru%r EJA:42==J 92D 2 3:A2CE:D2? 7:G6\A6CD@? 4@>>:DD:@?[ 3FE :? 2 9:DE@C:4 D9:7E D:?46 %CF>AVD C6EFC? E@ E96 (9:E6 w@FD6[ :E 92D @?=J @?6i 2 492:C>2? ?2>65 |:4926= $6=:8]k^AmkAm%9@F89 $6=:8 D2:5 96VD 4@>>:EE65 E@ AC6G6?E:?8 :?D:56C EC25:?8[ 9:D E@?6 E@H2C5 AC65:4E:@? >2C<6ED H2D =6DD E92? 288C6DD:G6] Q(6’C6 ?@E 2 >6C:E A@=:46>2? 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D@?[ s@?2=5 %CF>A yC][ D6CG65 2D 2? 25G:D6C E@ z2=D9: 2?5 !@=J>2C<6E] %CFE9 $@4:2=[ E96 AC6D:56?EVD D@4:2= >65:2 4@>A2?J[ 6G6? =2F?4965 2 762EFC6 =2DE J62C 42==65 %CFE9 !C65:4E]k^AmkAmp== E9@D6 E:6D 5@?VE D66> E@ 92G6 3=:?565 E96 AC6D:56?E E@ E96 @?=:?6 36EE:?8 H@C=5VD :==D[ H9:49 96 =2>6?E65 C646?E=J E@ C6A@CE6CD]k^Am kAmQ%96 H9@=6 H@C=5[ F?7@CEF?2E6=J[ 92D 364@>6 D@>6H92E @7 2 42D:?@[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am Columnists Are we turning too much of life into a wager? | The Ethical Life podcast Scott Rada Football Brendan Sorsby's gambling addiction a symptom of our broader illness | Opinion Nancy Armour USA TODAY 0 Comments Related to this story Oil-price bets ahead of Iran war news totaled $7 billion, reporting shows The well-timed trades have triggered calls from legal experts and lawmakers for regulators to investigate whether they were based on inside in… Polymarket expands trade monitoring after insider betting case tied to Maduro raid Polymarket is stepping up oversight after prosecutors charged a U.S. soldier with using classified information to bet on a military operation. 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Crime-courts Justice Department charges soldier accused of betting $400,000 on Maduro removal Jasper Ward Reuters
Football Brendan Sorsby's gambling addiction a symptom of our broader illness | Opinion Nancy Armour USA TODAY
Oil-price bets ahead of Iran war news totaled $7 billion, reporting shows The well-timed trades have triggered calls from legal experts and lawmakers for regulators to investigate whether they were based on inside in…
Polymarket expands trade monitoring after insider betting case tied to Maduro raid Polymarket is stepping up oversight after prosecutors charged a U.S. soldier with using classified information to bet on a military operation.
