Overview
- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick added the review to the Texas Senate’s interim priorities on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, to shape proposals for the next legislative session.
- The study targets so‑called prediction platforms that let users bet on events such as elections, with a charge to close gambling loopholes and test whether federal law is being used to dodge Texas bans.
- Patrick also called for closer alignment with federal crypto rules and a fresh look at crypto kiosks and ATM scams, asking regulators to put consumer protection first.
- National scrutiny is building, with the CFTC’s enforcement chief saying the agency is watching insider‑trading speculation in these markets as states like Nevada and Arizona pursue cases against platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi.
- Texas set a pro‑crypto baseline with a 2025 Bitcoin reserve law and a $5 million purchase in November 2025, and this fact‑finding will feed into the biennial Legislature’s next 140‑day session starting January 2027.