G2E Adds New Panel on Industry Concerns Over Prediction Markets
United States.- 24 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Global Gaming Expo, G2E, has added a new session to its 2026 programme focusing on the rapid expansion of prediction markets and concerns raised by the regulated US gaming industry.
The discussion will bring together representatives from commercial and tribal gaming, organised labour and the US Congress.
A United Front
The session is titled “A United Front: Confronting Prediction Markets Together.”
It will take place on Tuesday 29 September at 1pm, with doors opening at 12:45pm.
Bill Miller to Moderate
American Gaming Association President and CEO Bill Miller will moderate the discussion.
The AGA has taken a critical position on sports event contracts offered through prediction-market exchanges.
Panel Participants
Speakers will include:
- Gwen Mills, President of UNITE HERE.
- Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
- US Representative Steven Horsford.
Gaming, Labour and Congress
The composition of the panel is intended to broaden the discussion beyond commercial competition.
Topics are expected to include:
- Regulation.
- Employment.
- Tribal sovereignty.
- Consumer protection.
- Public policy.
- Federal legislation.
Impact on Regulated Gaming
A central issue will be the effect prediction markets may have on state- and tribal-regulated gaming.
Industry representatives argue that some sports event contracts operate in a way comparable with conventional sports wagering.
Two Regulatory Models
The dispute involves two distinct frameworks.
Traditional sportsbooks operate through state or tribal authorisation.
Prediction-market exchanges argue that their contracts fall under the federal commodities framework overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, CFTC.
Federal Pre-emption Debate
A major legal question concerns whether federal commodities law pre-empts state authority over contracts tied to sports outcomes.
That dispute is already being tested through litigation and regulatory action across several jurisdictions.
AGA Position
The American Gaming Association argues that sports event contracts should be subject to rules comparable with those governing licensed sportsbooks.
Its objections focus largely on taxation, consumer safeguards and state and tribal oversight.
Advertising Growth
The association has also highlighted rapid growth in prediction-market advertising.
According to AGA analysis, such platforms spent close to $200 million on digital advertising during the first seven months of 2026.
More Than Half of Digital Ads
The same research estimated that more than half of digital sports-betting advertisements seen by consumers in 2026 came from prediction-market platforms.
The AGA uses these figures to argue that the two sectors operate under different advertising standards.
Consumer Protection
The panel is expected to examine differences between protections applied to state-regulated sportsbooks and federally regulated contract exchanges.
Topics include:
- Responsible gaming.
- Minimum-age requirements.
- Marketing.
- Dispute resolution.
- Oversight.
- Integrity controls.
Gwen Mills and Labour
Gwen Mills will provide the organised-labour perspective.
UNITE HERE represents hospitality and casino workers in multiple US jurisdictions.
Employment Concerns
The union argues that expanding sports prediction markets could affect revenues supporting casino and sportsbook employment.
The relationship between wagering activity, taxation and jobs will form part of the discussion.
Casino Workers
UNITE HERE members include:
- Housekeepers.
- Bartenders.
- Servers.
- Cooks.
- Casino and hospitality employees.
The union therefore frames the issue as broader than competition between wagering platforms.
Rodney Butler
Rodney Butler will bring the tribal-gaming perspective.
As Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, he represents a tribal nation with a substantial presence in US gaming.
Tribal Sovereignty
Tribal organisations have raised distinct concerns about sports event contracts.
These include their potential impact on state compacts, exclusivity rights and tribal sovereignty.
Economic Rights
Gaming revenue supports a wide range of tribal government services.
Changes in wagering activity can therefore have implications beyond individual gaming properties.
Steven Horsford
US Representative Steven Horsford will contribute the legislative perspective.
The Nevada congressman has advocated greater federal intervention regarding prediction markets offering sports and casino-style contracts.
Nevada Model
Horsford has described Nevada’s regulatory structure as a benchmark for gaming oversight.
His position is that products functioning like gaming should be subject to comparable controls.
Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act
Horsford has introduced legislation addressing the federal treatment of certain prediction-market products.
The proposal targets contracts which, in his view, replicate sports betting or casino-style activity through federally regulated trading platforms.
Proposal Remains Under Debate
The legislation forms part of the ongoing federal policy debate and does not currently represent a general prohibition on prediction markets.
Any change would depend on the congressional process.
Legal and Political Strategies
G2E said the session will address possible:
- Legal strategies.
- Legislative approaches.
- Regulatory action.
- Public-policy initiatives.
- Industry coordination.
Collective Action
The panel’s title reflects the broader purpose of the discussion.
The AGA is seeking cooperation among organisations that share concerns regarding the expansion of sports event contracts.
Rapid Market Expansion
Prediction markets have grown significantly in visibility during 2025 and 2026.
Sports have become a major driver of trading volume and customer acquisition.
Pressure on Sportsbooks
The AGA estimates Americans will legally wager around $29.5 billion on the 2026 NFL season through regulated commercial sportsbooks.
That figure would be broadly flat compared with the previous season while sports event contracts expand rapidly.
AGA Tax Estimate
The association also estimates that prediction markets have displaced more than $1.3 billion in potential state gaming tax revenue since 2025.
This is an AGA estimate rather than an official tax-authority calculation.
Executive Concerns
An AGA industry survey published in 2026 found that 81% of participating executives viewed prediction markets as a very significant threat to regulated gaming.
The finding reflects sentiment among surveyed industry executives rather than the entire US market.
Different Commercial Approaches
Not every traditional gaming company is taking the same approach.
Some established betting businesses have begun exploring or launching products related to event contracts.
That trend demonstrates how the relationship between the two sectors is also evolving commercially.
G2E 2026
Global Gaming Expo will take place from 28 September to 1 October 2026 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas.
More Than 25,000 Professionals
Organisers expect more than 25,000 gaming professionals from over 120 countries, regions and territories.
Nearly 400 exhibitors are also expected.
More Than 100 Education Sessions
The programme includes more than 100 educational sessions and over 300 speakers.
Prediction markets will therefore join a wider agenda covering regulation, technology, operations, innovation and consumer protection.
Industry Context
Prediction markets have become one of the most significant regulatory debates in US gaming.
The issue combines federal and state authority, tribal sovereignty, taxation, player safeguards and financial innovation.
Next Steps and Impact
The 29 September panel will bring together several prominent voices supporting state- and tribal-regulated gaming structures amid the expansion of sports event contracts.
The session will not determine the legal status of prediction markets, but it highlights increasing political, labour and industry coordination around the issue.
G2E is therefore placing prediction markets firmly among the central topics shaping the US gaming agenda in 2026.
Editó: @fonta
