CFTC adopts rule excluding casino-style gambling from swap definition
The agency says the measure codifies its longstanding position and becomes effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register.
CFTC proposes explicitly including event contracts in swap definition
The proposal covers contracts tied to sports, politics, culture and weather, with written comments due within 30 days of Federal Register publication.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission on October 9, 2026, published a proposed rule that would explicitly include event contracts in its definition of a swap. Contracts linked to sports, political, cultural and weather events would fall under the proposed definition.
The CFTC said the proposal is intended to clarify how those financial instruments are classified and address ambiguity. It said market participants commonly recognize the contracts as swaps.
Chairman Michael S. Selig said Americans use event contracts for hedging, speculation and information about future outcomes. He said the products are commodity derivatives covered by the Commodity Exchange Act and fall exclusively under the CFTC’s jurisdiction.
The agency is seeking written public comments through Regulations.gov. Submissions must arrive within 30 days after the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.