After Americans legally bet hundreds of millions on the 2024 election, two members of Oregon’s congressional delegation and a Maryland representative are pushing to ban election betting.
U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas, D-Oregon and Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, introduced a bill Wednesday to prohibit any election wagering. Their Ban Gambling on Elections Act mirrors a bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, earlier this year.
“Betting on elections degrades them from an investment in leadership to a profit-maximizing game,” Merkley said in a statement. “In addition, this practice is corrupt since those betting can influence the outcome by funding late-cycle smear campaigns. It’s like betting on a baseball game when you control the umpire.”
