Most Americans oppose betting on elections and government events, poll finds

A voter casts his ballot for the U.S. midterm elections in Akron, Ohio, on Monday. About 69% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans in a Reuters/Ipsos poll said they opposed using prediction markets to bet on election results. | AFP-JIJI

Reuters

Oct 13, 2026

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON – Most Americans oppose using prediction markets to bet on U.S. elections and other government actions, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that suggests the booming markets may lack broad public support as policymakers debate how to regulate them.

The rapidly growing prediction market industry led by Polymarket and Kalshi allows people to bet on a raft of events, including U.S. elections, government policy moves and sports games, raising concerns among policymakers that the platforms are opening up new avenues for insider trading and manipulation.

The companies say they have extensive controls to guard against misconduct, that their markets are often better at forecasting outcomes than traditional polls and that they offer unique ways to hedge a range of esoteric real-world risks.

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