Criminal Offenses - As enacted, creates a Class E felony offense when a person, for the purpose of deriving a pecuniary benefit, engages in conduct intended to influence the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event while the person, or another acting in active concert with the person, is a party to a contract traded on a prediction-market by which the person will derive such pecuniary benefit directly from the settlement of that contract based on the occurrence or a nonoccurrence of the event. - Amends TCA Title 39.

HB 2079 creates a new Class E felony offense for intentionally influencing the outcome of an event (like a sports game or election) while involved in a prediction market contract where you benefit from the result. It directly affects individuals using platforms where people trade bets on future events, such as sports or political outcomes. The law defines "prediction-market" as any platform enabling contracts based on unknown future events. Violating this would be punishable as a Class E felony, with the bill taking effect July 1, 2026, if passed. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee.