Reuters/Ipsos Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Betting on Election Prediction Markets

Huo Xing Cai Jing reports that, according to a recent poll conducted jointly by Reuters and Ipsos, a majority of U.S. respondents oppose using prediction markets to bet on U.S. elections and other government actions. The survey found that 69% of Democratic respondents and 61% of Republican respondents opposed using prediction markets to wager on election outcomes. The poll was conducted between September 30 and October 5, covering 4,506 adults nationwide. Beyond elections, even regarding bets on professional sports events, 43% of respondents expressed opposition, while only 29% expressed support. The prediction market industry is currently dominated by platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, which allow users to bet on U.S. elections, government policy developments, and sporting events—sparking multiple lawsuits over regulatory jurisdiction. The Trump administration is pushing for federal regulation of the industry through the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), while several states have voiced opposition. On October 8, Cointelegraph reported that 39 U.S. states and the District of Columbia submitted an amicus curiae brief, stating that the conflict between the CFTC and state authorities over prediction markets has become a “national turf war” that cannot be resolved without a Supreme Court ruling.