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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsElectionsDemocracyPrediction MarketsPolitical PollingMarket RegulationElection betting•••Started 4mos agoActive 7hrs ago1 here now

Should it be legal for people to bet money on the outcomes of political elections?

Prediction markets like Polymarket allow users to buy shares in the outcome of future events, effectively gambling on election results. Proponents argue these markets leverage the "wisdom of crowds" to provide more accurate forecasts than traditional polling, which has struggled in recent cycles. Opponents, including the CFTC, argue that commodifying elections degrades democratic integrity and invites market manipulation by wealthy actors trying to sway public perception.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 7.7k America voters.

40%
Yes
60%
No
34%
Yes
52%
No
5%
Yes, but regulate it like the stock market to prevent insider trading
6%
No, turning democracy into a casino incentivizes corruption
1%
Yes, prediction markets are often more accurate than traditional polling
2%
No, wealthy bettors will manipulate the odds to trick voters

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 7.7k America voters.

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Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 7.7k America voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from America voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @BF2RYFC from Virginia  answered…2wks2W

No, gambling in general should be illegal

 @BF2RYFC from Virginia  answered…2wks2W

No, gambling at all should be banned

 @BDZJ8GY  from Louisiana  answered…2wks2W

Yes, but require disclaimers that it is purely for entertainment and opinion-based assessments.

 @BDWY8DB from Texas  answered…3wks3W

Yes, it would encorage more people to vote

 @BDWLVK2 from Tennessee  answered…3wks3W

Depends on state , but as long as state allows gambling yes

 @BDRNXKN from Georgia  answered…1mo1MO

No, it’s not the government’s responsibility to regulate morality or how people spend money.

 @BDQSRZR from Arizona  answered…1mo1MO

No, but low-stakes between friends is fine.

 @BDQSRZR from Arizona  answered…1mo1MO

No, but low-stakes and between two individuals is fine enough.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2yrs2Y

Elizabeth Warren Walks Back Murder Comments

Congressional Democrats broadly denounced the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Friday morning, after Republicans started accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren of excusing violence.“No one's condoning this,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). “Violence never is the right answer for anything. And it was a horrible murder, a tragic loss for his family.” Warren this week condemned the shooting, but added that people “can be pushed only so far.”"We'll say it over and over," Warren said on MSNBC’S “The ReidOut.” " Violence is never the answer. This guy [Luigi Mangione] gets a trial who's allegedly killed the CEO of UnitedHealth, but you can only push people so far, and then they start to take matters into their own hands."In a statement to POLITICO, Warren said, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.” Top Republicans denounced Warren's comments and the walked-back rhetoric, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) calling it “inappropriate and dangerous.”Some House Democrats asked about the incident on Thursday pivoted the conversation to discuss policy options on health care or gun safety.“I don't really know that this is really a space that Congress normally weighs in on,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). “But at the end of the day, I think it’s an opportunity, because now people are talking about health care and to talk about the fact that this industry has honestly not been as helpful as it could be.”“Violence is never the answer,” said Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.). “We know that there are people suffering, there’s great challenges in healthcare. There's great challenges, and people have, in fact, been wronged, but a process of governance is the way to address that, not violence.”And Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) who denounced the murder, said the killer should be prosecuted and that “I do know that allegedly a ghost gun was used, and we should also ban ghost guns. There's no reason for them beyond the streets.”

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About This Data

Based on 7.7k responses to this question.

These results come from iSideWith's ongoing political issues survey. We collect over a million responses per day, filter out duplicate and multiple submissions, and break the results down by political party, ideology, age, state, and census demographics (income, race, education, household).

iSideWith is non-partisan — we don't advocate for any party, candidate, or position. We report what the public tells us.

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iSideWith. (2026). “Should it be legal for people to bet money on the outcomes of political elections?” — Public Opinion Poll Results. Retrieved June 27, 2026, from https://www.isidewith.com/polls/5545298322

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