Adam Schiff’s Gambling Bill Has An Awkward Coincidence

News admin August 3, 2026 0 Comments

Adam Schiff’s Gambling Bill Has An Awkward Coincidence

California Senator Adam Schiff in March introduced a bill that would ban prediction markets, slamming them for, among other things, violating “tribal sovereignty.” It’s a notable objection — one shared by the Native American tribes that have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into groups backing the Democrat.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have steered at least $210,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs and the senator’s legal defense fund, a Daily Wire review of campaign finance reports and Senate disclosures found. The Agua Caliente Band gave $10,000 to Schiff’s legal defense fund a few months before the senator introduced the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which would prohibit platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket from offering predictions on markets that resemble sports bets or casino games.

“Sports prediction contracts are sports bets — just with a different name,” Schiff said of the legislation. “It’s time for Congress to step in and eliminate this backdoor which violates state consumer protections, intrudes upon tribal sovereignty, and offers no public revenue.”

Fights over prediction markets have flooded Capitol Hill since they rose in popularity in 2024, with lawmakers from both parties debating whether they should be classified as gambling or something else. Native American tribes that operate casinos on their reservations have come out against the platforms, the latest instance of tribal groups opposing casino alternatives. Several tribes fought to keep sports betting apps like DraftKings and FanDuel from expanding to California.

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria each donated $100,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs set up during Schiff’s 2024 Senate race, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The political focus of the involved tribes is demonstrated in legal court documents. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, together with numerous other tribes, filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit against Kalshi in May 2026. The brief was issued by the indigenous nations to rebuke Kalshi’s nationwide sports prediction market. Among the groups listed on that filing was the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, of which the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is a member tribe.

Schiff’s legislation, which was co-sponsored by Utah Republican Senator John Curtis, would “prohibit Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entities from listing any prediction contract that resembles a sports bet or casino-style game.”

A companion to the better-known Securities and Exchange Commission, the CFTC handles derivatives, a broad category encompassing all manner of financial contracts, including those facilitated by prediction markets. In February, the CFTC launched a public-private partnership, the Innovation Advisory Committee, which brings together companies on the forefront of commerce, including Kalshi.

Schiff has raised over a million dollars for his legal defense fund, which he launched amid claims that the Trump administration was waging lawfare against him. In addition to the Native tribe, donors included prominent Democrat politicians and the late actor Rob Reiner. The fund has spent nearly $40,000 on processing fees for ActBlue, the Democrat fundraising platform.

Schiff’s office did not reply to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.