Views differ on whether prediction markets’ explosion in popularity will improve Americans’ lives. Studies suggest gambling addiction — which reportedly rose over 60% since 2018 — rewires the brain to make people more impulsive. Sports betting is legal in 47 states as of February 2025, according to the American Gaming Association. (RELATED: Ex-NBA Players Malik Beasley And Ed Davis Charged In Federal Gambling Case)The combined trading volume of prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket rose from $5 billion in September 2025 to $24 billion in April 2026, Pew Research Center reported in May. Sports betting represented 80% of that volume, followed by cryptocurrency and political betting by 7% and 4%, respectively. “Polymarket is neutral market infrastructure and has no economic stake in any ma