A majority of Americans are opposed to using prediction markets to bet on United States elections and other government actions, according to a poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos.
The nationwide survey of 4,506 adults, conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, found that 69% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans polled opposed using prediction markets to wager on election outcomes. Meanwhile, betting on professional sports faced opposition from 43% of respondents, with 29% expressing support.
The findings come as the prediction market industry—led by platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi—allows individuals to place bets on political elections, government policy decisions, and sporting events. This growth has triggered a series of lawsuits between state and federal agencies regarding regulatory authority.
The administration of President Donald Trump is pursuing federal oversight of the industry through the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a move that various states are actively fighting. Many observers expect the jurisdictional dispute to ultimately reach the Supreme Court.
In connection with the ongoing conflict, 39 US states and the District of Columbia previously filed an amicus brief stating that the clash between the CFTC and state authorities has created a national turf war requiring intervention from the Supreme Court.
