Patricia Lalanda lays out regulatory challenges for prediction markets at international congress
Lalanda urged integrating AML/CFT duties into product design from the start
Key Takeaways
- Patricia Lalanda spoke on 4 November 2026 about the regulatory challenges of prediction markets.
- Lalanda said the regulatory uncertainty around prediction markets is partial and not absolute.
- There is no single regulatory model because platforms combine matching engines, technology and tokenisation in different ways.
- AML/CFT obligations must be integrated from the early stages of product design across all models.
- Jorge Hinojosa of Jdigital called for public‑private dialogue and Lalanda urged specialised, multidisciplinary teams.
Patricia Lalanda, of Loyra Abogados, participated on 4 November 2026 in a panel on anti-money laundering where she addressed the regulatory challenges of prediction markets. She shared the discussion with César Zárate Gómez and Cristina Carrascosa Cobos and focused on new digital models and their AML/CFT obligations.
Topics discussed on the panel
The session first analysed prediction markets and also reviewed other formats: sweepstakes and skill games, which present different regulatory fits. Lalanda argued that the regulatory uncertainty surrounding prediction markets is partial and not absolute.
Absence of a single model and AML obligations
Lalanda emphasised that there is no single model applicable to all operators because each platform may combine elements such as matching engines, underlying technology or tokenisation in different ways. She also pointed out that anti-money laundering and counter‑terrorist financing obligations (PBC/FT) must be considered across all models and integrated from the earliest stages of product design.
Industry perspective and need for specialised teams
Jorge Hinojosa, director of Jdigital, offered the industry view and stressed the importance of public‑private dialogue and collaboration to tackle regulatory and technological challenges. Lalanda called for specialised, multidisciplinary teams able to understand both technical operation and legal implications.
Session conclusion
The panel highlighted technical variability between platforms and the obligation to incorporate AML/CFT measures from design, with no single solution that fits all.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where were the regulatory challenges of prediction markets discussed?
The challenges were debated on 4 November 2026 during a panel on anti‑money laundering at an international congress; Patricia Lalanda, César Zárate Gómez and Cristina Carrascosa Cobos took part in the session.
What did Patricia Lalanda say about regulatory uncertainty?
Patricia Lalanda said the regulatory uncertainty surrounding prediction markets is partial rather than absolute, a point she made while the panel also examined sweepstakes and skill games.
Why is there no single model to regulate these markets?
Lalanda explained that no single model exists because each platform can combine matching engines, underlying technology and tokenisation differently, producing varied technical and legal configurations.
How should AML/CFT obligations be integrated into these products?
AML/CFT obligations should be contemplated across all models and embedded from the earliest stages of product design, according to Lalanda.
What did Jdigital propose to the discussion?
Jorge Hinojosa, director of Jdigital, emphasised the importance of public‑private dialogue and collaboration to address regulatory and technological challenges related to prediction markets.
Tags
About the author
Renata Quiroga
Betting Markets Correspondent
Renata Quiroga covers sports betting and prediction markets — sportsbook launches, odds technology, event contracts, and the regulatory calls that decide what can be bet on and where. The reports open with the product or the ruling, name operators and platforms precisely, and explain the mechanics without needless jargon. When a book enters a Latin American market or a prediction exchange lists a contested contract, Renata Quiroga reports what changes for the bettor.
More from Renata Quiroga
