
Prediction Market Lobbying Spend Rises Over 60% as Regulatory Pressure Builds in Washington
The prediction market industry spent $1.84 million on federal lobbying in the first quarter of 2026, a record high and more than 60% above Q1 2025 levels. It is the first hard data point quantifying the scale of the industry's political operations as it faces mounting legislative and regulatory pressure. "The policy landscape has rapidly evolved just in the last two or three months," said Ronak D. Desai, a partner at Paul Hastings, according to Bloomberg. "Prediction markets have moved from the periphery to the center of congressional scrutiny." Prediction markets are pouring money into Washington to defend against escalating…








