H.R. 8723

FIGHT Act of 2026

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I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8723

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 11, 2026

Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit gambling on animal fighting ventures, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-risk Trafficking Act of 2026 or the FIGHT Act of 2026.

2.

Animal fighting

Section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2156) is amended—

(1)

by striking the section designation and header and all that follows through It shall be unlawful in subsection (a)(2) and inserting the following:

26.

Sponsoring or exhibiting an animal in, attending, causing an individual who has not attained the age of 16 to attend, or gambling on, an animal fighting venture

(a)

Sponsoring or exhibiting

(1)

In general

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly sponsor or exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture.

(2)

Attending or causing an individual who has not attained the age of 16 to attend

It shall be unlawful

; and

(2)

in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Animal venture gambling

It shall be unlawful for any person to gamble on an animal fighting venture, including an in-person or broadcast event.

.