Representative Josh Gottheimer has introduced the Facial Recognition to Protect Children Act, requiring online sportsbooks and prediction markets to verify user age through facial analysis. The legislation establishes a federal standard to replace current account-based checks with biometric age estimation at login or before each wager.
Verification Requirements and Federal Standards
The proposed law directs platforms to analyze facial structure and patterns to estimate a user’s age. Systems would not store personal biometric data or user identity, focusing solely on age verification. Regulated sportsbooks currently set the minimum participation age at 21, while prediction markets generally permit trading from 18. The bill creates a uniform federal requirement across these sectors.Existing platforms primarily rely on initial know-your-customer checks, allowing users to access accounts without further verification. Gottheimer stated that the current honor-based system enables minors to log into family or friend accounts and place bets without review. He compared the approach to physical casino entry requirements, noting: "We wouldn’t accept that at a casino in Las Vegas.
We shouldn’t accept it on the phone in our kid’s back pocket."
Recent industry data highlights the scope of underage participation. Research from Common Sense Media indicates that 36 percent of boys aged 11 to 17 engaged in gambling over the past year. Tennessee sportsbooks identified more than 400 underage accounts in 2024, a significant increase from approximately 100 the previous year, while Iowa authorities recorded over 80 related reports.
The measure carries bipartisan co-sponsorship from Representatives Jeff Van Drew, Nick LaLota, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Jimmy Panetta, Darren Soto, Tom Suozzi, Ritchie Torres, and Bruce Westerman, alongside backing from the advocacy group ParentsRISE.