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Feds are finally side-eyeing the weird world of "mention markets"

Original version ·

Betting on what famous people say is a thing now, and obviously, it's getting messy.

So, apparently, we live in a world where you can gamble on whether Donald Trump or some random official mentions a specific word in their next speech. It is called a "mention market." It is exactly as unhinged as it sounds.

The feds have finally decided to poke their heads into Kalshi and similar platforms to see if these markets are just glorified casinos for people who have inside info or a knack for manipulation. If you can bet on a policy announcement, you can technically pay someone to leak it—or just influence the speaker yourself.

It turns out that turning political discourse into a horse race might actually be a bad idea. Capitalism is currently speed-running the creation of a black market for political spoilers.

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7/24
  1. Loud Cowboy
    Wait, so I can bet on a politician using the word 'infrastructure' now? This timeline is a joke.
    +2 emotionalA classic display of existential dread masquerading as a hot take on the decline of Western civilization
  2. Litigious Pickup
    Regulatory capture is already here, why act surprised? It's just gambling with extra steps.
    +5 solidFinally, someone who understands that the house always wins, especially when the house is writing the laws