Jack Paul 
A Reuters/Ipsos survey found that most Americans do not want people betting on US elections or other government actions. The poll, which surveyed 4,506 adults nationwide from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, adds pressure to a prediction market sector already facing legal fights.
Democrats and Republicans agree on election betting
The numbers are not close. About 69% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans said they opposed using prediction markets to bet on election results. That kind of agreement across party lines is notable, perhaps because elections are seen as a public process rather than a game. The survey also asked about betting on government policy moves, though the main focus was election outcomes.
Sports betting also draws opposition
Even professional sports did not escape skepticism. The poll found 43% opposed betting on pro sports, while 29% supported it. The rest were unsure or did not answer. That suggests the concern is not only about politics. Some people seem uneasy with the broader idea of turning public events into wagering products.
Legal fight heads toward the Supreme Court
Prediction markets, led by Polymarket and Kalshi, let users bet on elections, policy decisions and sports. The business has produced lawsuits involving state and federal agencies over who has authority to regulate these markets. The Trump administration is pursuing federal rules through the CFTC, and states are fighting that approach. Many expect the dispute to reach the Supreme Court.
On Oct. 8, Cointelegraph reported that 39 US states and the District of Columbia filed an amicus brief. They argued that the conflict between the CFTC and state authorities had become a national turf war that cannot be settled without the Supreme Court. For now, the poll gives critics a clear data point: election betting may be growing in crypto and finance circles, but it is not popular with the public.