During a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing, U.S. lawmakers scrutinized the online sports betting and prediction markets, focusing on aggressive marketing and recent cheating scandals. Committee chair Ted Cruz raised concerns about maintaining sports integrity, referencing high-profile allegations of game tampering, including incidents involving Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. With 39 states and Washington, D.C. legalizing some form of online gambling, the industry has seen significant growth, with revenues hitting a record $16.96 billion in 2025. However, the rise in gambling addiction has prompted calls for stricter regulations. Harry Levant, director of gambling policy at the Public Health Advocacy Institute, highlighted the addiction crisis, stating it is a bipartisan issue. Meanwhile, Bill Miller, CEO of the American Gaming Association, defended the industry's regulatory framework, arguing that it is one of the most closely monitored sectors. The hearing also addressed the legality of prediction markets, with Minnesota banning them, potentially igniting legal battles with the Trump administration, which supports federal oversight of these platforms as financial products rather than gambling services.