Key Highlights
- New polling shows bipartisan support for regulated prediction markets.
- Most voters favor a single federal framework rather than a patchwork of state regulations.
- Only 8% of voters support making prediction markets illegal.
A pair of newly released surveys commissioned by the Coalition for Prediction Markets suggests that Americans across the political spectrum support regulated prediction markets and oppose efforts to ban them.
According to the findings published on Wednesday, prediction markets continue gaining traction in Washington and across the broader financial industry, with lawmakers, regulators, and market participants debating how the growing sector should be governed.
According to the coalition, separate surveys conducted by Republican polling firm Fabrizio Lee & Associates and Democratic polling firm Global Strategy Group found broad agreement on two key issues: prediction markets should remain legal and should be regulated through a single federal framework rather than a patchwork of state laws.
Voters prefer federal over state-by-state rules
One of the clearest findings from both surveys was support for nationwide regulation.
Among Republican voters surveyed by Fabrizio Lee & Associates, 48% favored a single set of federal rules similar to those governing stock markets, while only 27% preferred individual states regulating prediction markets independently.
A separate survey conducted by Global Strategy Group found similar results among Democrats, with 45% supporting uniform federal regulations compared to 35% favoring state-level oversight.
The broader electorate showed even stronger opposition to outright bans. According to the Global Strategy Group’s nationwide survey, only 8% of voters believe prediction markets should be made illegal.
The findings come as several states have challenged certain prediction market products, while federal regulators continue shaping the industry’s long-term framework.
Majority of Americans support individual freedom
The surveys also tested voter attitudes toward personal choice and participation in prediction markets. Respondents were asked whether adults should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether to participate in prediction markets, provided appropriate consumer protections are in place.
The argument resonated across party lines. According to Global Strategy Group, 67% of voters found the statement convincing, including 64% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans. Similarly, Fabrizio Lee found that 50% of Republican voters said the argument made them more likely to support legal prediction markets, while only 13% said it made them less likely.
The coalition said the results indicate that most Americans view prediction markets as a matter of consumer choice rather than an activity that should be prohibited.
Young voters drive adoption
The surveys also highlighted strong interest among younger Americans, particularly young men.
Global Strategy Group found that 52% of voters under the age of 35 have already engaged with prediction markets, making them one of the most active demographic groups in the industry.
Interest remains high even among those who have not yet participated. According to the survey, 55% of voters under 35 who have never used a prediction market platform said they would be interested in doing so.
Among Republicans, support was particularly strong among younger men. Fabrizio Lee found that Republican men under the age of 45 support keeping prediction markets legal by a margin of 68% to 14%.
The findings suggest that prediction markets are increasingly becoming a mainstream financial and information tool among younger generations.
Prediction markets draw institutional and regulatory interest
The polling results come as prediction markets attract growing attention from both traditional financial institutions and regulators.
Recently, Cboe Global Markets announced plans to enter the sector through a regulated approach focused on financial benchmarks and economic events. Unlike platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, Cboe’s strategy avoids sports and political contracts that have sparked legal challenges in several states.
At the same time, regulatory pressure continues to mount. Kalshi and Polymarket are facing lawsuits from the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, while a group of U.S. lawmakers has urged federal agencies to review how prediction market platforms disclose risks and market their services.
Despite the growing scrutiny, the latest surveys suggest public opinion is moving in the opposite direction, with most voters favoring legal prediction markets operating under a unified federal regulatory framework rather than a patchwork of state-level rules.
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