Reuters Poll: Majority of Americans Reject Election Wagering
Survey reveals most Americans stand against placing bets on elections via prediction market platforms
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that the majority of Americans stand in opposition to placing wagers on United States elections and various other governmental activities.
The prediction market sector, with platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi at the forefront, allows individuals to place bets on US electoral outcomes, policy decisions by the government, and sporting competitions. This practice has triggered multiple legal battles involving both state-level and federal-level agencies regarding which entities possess the regulatory authority over these marketplace operations.
According to the poll, approximately 69% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans expressed opposition to utilizing prediction markets for placing bets on electoral outcomes. The nationwide Reuters/Ipsos survey gathered responses from 4,506 adults and was conducted between Sept. 30-Oct. 5.
The polling data also revealed that even wagering on professional sports faced opposition from 43% of those surveyed, whereas 29% expressed support for it, according to the poll results.
The administration of President Donald Trump is working toward establishing federal regulatory frameworks for this industry through the CFTC, an effort that state governments are actively contesting. Many industry observers anticipate that this dispute will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.
According to a Cointelegraph report published on Oct. 8, a total of 39 US states along with the District of Columbia submitted an amicus brief describing the conflict between the CFTC and state authorities regarding prediction markets as a "national turf war" that would require intervention from the Supreme Court to reach a resolution.