Farming teaches lessons that apply far beyond the field. You learn the importance of clear boundaries, responsibility, and staying focused on the work you’re meant to do. Those same principles apply to government, and they’re exactly why Mississippi, not Washington, should regulate gaming within our borders.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) was created to oversee agricultural and commodity markets. That mission matters deeply to farmers like me. When crop prices swing or energy markets become unstable, it affects families, businesses, and rural communities across Mississippi. The CFTC plays a vital role in keeping those markets transparent and fair.
But that role has limits. And recently, those limits have started to blur.
Across the country, there’s been increased attention around federally approved prediction markets. These platforms allow wagering on sports and other outcomes under CFTC oversight rather than state law. Supporters argue they are financial tools tied to future events. From a practical standpoint, they look like gambling, just without the safeguards Mississippi requires.
Mississippi has a long-established gaming framework designed to balance economic opportunity with responsibility. Our laws require licensing, ongoing oversight, and compliance with consumer protection standards. Regulated sportsbooks pay state taxes and support responsible gaming programs that provide education, prevention, and assistance for those who need it. The Mississippi Gaming Commission enforces these rules and ensures accountability.
Prediction markets bypass that system entirely. They don’t answer to Mississippi regulators. They don’t contribute to state programs. And they don’t support the responsible gaming resources funded by licensed operators. That’s not a minor distinction—it’s the difference between regulation and avoidance.
As Chairman of the House Constitution Committee, I take seriously the balance of powers between the states and the federal government. The Constitution reserves broad authority to the states, and the Supreme Court reaffirmed that principle in 2018 when it ruled that states have the right to regulate sports betting. Mississippi took that responsibility seriously and built a framework that reflects our values and priorities.
Federal agencies shouldn’t be looking for ways around that decision. When gambling products operate under federal approval but outside state oversight, it weakens state authority and undermines systems that were designed to protect the public.
Agriculture teaches you to focus on the job in front of you. The CFTC has important work regulating commodity markets that farmers depend on every day. Gaming regulation is not part of that mission, and forcing it into that role distracts from responsibilities that truly matter to rural America.
Mississippi knows how to regulate gaming responsibly. We’ve drawn clear lines, enforced clear rules, and built a system that benefits our communities. Currently, there is legislation in Washington that could ban prediction markets from offering sports-related wagering across the country. I encourage our entire federal delegation to support this measure. It is a good policy, and it keeps gaming oversight here in Mississippi where it belongs.
