Gambling Site Polymarket Takes Guthrie Kidnapping Bets

The gambling website Polymarket has enabled betting related to the disappearance of NBC host Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy.

After the FBI released surveillance footage of the suspect wearing a mask and gloves, Polymarket hosted a market in its “politics” section on whether the suspect would be caught by the end of February.

This market is similar to last December’s betting on the Brown University shooting.

These markets lack societal value and serve mainly to gamify tragedies, increase platform doomscrolling, and, ultimately, extract money from users.

Tragedy victims and their families are largely overlooked by prediction markets offering these types of wagers.

In theory, betting markets on horrible human tragedies could be more enticing for some users with at-risk gambling behavior. A preoccupation with gambling on everything, even stressful news events, could be a sign of a gambling problem.

Guthrie Suspect Search

The FBI offered a $50,000 reward in the Guthrie case. The gambling market’s trading volume on Polymarket could eventually exceed the value of the government’s reward for information leading to the return of Nancy Guthrie or the arrest of the suspect.

While unlikely, someone with information about the suspect could place a bet in this market, which, in theory, could influence their actions.

Polymarket facilitates deposits in cryptocurrency. However, user wallet activity is public.

Polymarket Shock Value

Since rising to prominence over the last year and a half, some U.S.-facing prediction markets have embraced shock value, sometimes posting inflammatory or false content on social media. The leading standalone prediction markets by valuation are Polymarket and Kalshi, though FanDuel and DraftKings each offer their own prediction market apps.

Critics say the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, regulator of U.S. prediction markets, has been derelict in its oversight of the nascent and controversial platforms.

There has been some self-policing at prediction market companies.

For example, I’m unaware of any prediction market taking bets on the death of people by name. Nonetheless, Polymarket’s war and bombing markets, offered on its international-facing platform, involve betting directly on human suffering.

Several countries, including Colombia, France, Belgium, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Hungary, and Ukraine, have moved to block or restrict Polymarket.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has certified Polymarket, paving the way for it to partner with several sports leagues.

The post Gambling Site Polymarket Takes Guthrie Kidnapping Bets appeared first on GamblingHarm.org.