This is not the first time that bets hosted by Polymarket or its main competitor Kalshi have sparked controversy. In January 2025, at the height of the fires in California, users could already bet on their duration or the extent of the damage.
This situation has provoked the indignation of many people and associations defending victims of sexual violence, who are calling for dissociation from the company. The affair is causing a lot of talk in the United States and is reviving debates on fraternities as well as the feeling of impunity that can reign on campuses in this type of affair.
It was also possible to bet on whether or not a nuclear bomb would detonate, before the page in question was ultimately deleted. While the vast majority of bets made on these platforms concern sporting events, predictions are regularly offered on other subjects.
Advertising contracts also link certain entities to Polymarket, making it difficult to understand how online bets taken by anyone could shed light on such matters.
For almost three weeks, more than $450,000 in bets were placed by Internet users on the platform before the page was deleted.
In January 2025, at the height of the fires in California, users could bet on their duration or the extent of the damage.
This affair is causing a lot of talk in the United States, reigniting debates on fraternities and the feeling of impunity that can reign on campuses in cases of sexual assault.