Judiciary Democrats Urge Judicial Conference to Ban Prediction Market Participation for the Federal Judiciary

Washington, D.C. (July 7, 2026)—Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Hank Johnson, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet, sent a letter to the Honorable Robert J. Conrad Jr., Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, urging the Judicial Conference to prohibit federal judges, clerks, and judicial staff from participating in online prediction markets.

“Federal officials in all three branches of government often have advance knowledge of, if not direct influence or control over, the prospective outcome of a wager related to public policy events and decisions. It is no surprise that, in this setting, prediction markets appear rife with insider trading and other abuses,” wrote the Ranking Members.

The growing use of prediction markets—platforms that allow users to wager on future events—poses serious ethical risks to the federal judiciary. These markets enable betting on matters directly related to the courts, including case outcomes, the length of judicial opinions, and even the timing of a Supreme Court Justice’s retirement.

Prediction markets such as Kalshi, Polymarket, and PredictIt currently operate largely outside of state gambling restrictions and, under the Trump Administration, have faced limited federal oversight. Because judges and court personnel may have access to nonpublic information or influence over judicial outcomes, their participation in such markets raises significant concerns about insider trading, conflicts of interest, and the appearance of impropriety.

While existing judicial ethics rules may address some aspects of this conduct, a clear, categorical ban is needed to eliminate ambiguity and fully safeguard the integrity of the courts.

“We respectfully urge the Judicial Conference to take prompt action to prohibit participation in prediction markets by the entire federal judiciary and their staff. Establishing this rule now will help protect the integrity of judicial decision-making, prevent the appearance of impropriety, and reinforce public confidence in the judicial branch,” wrote the Ranking Members.

Judiciary Democrats are calling on the Judicial Conference to act swiftly to implement a comprehensive prohibition on prediction market participation for all members of the federal judiciary and their staff.

Click here to read the letter.