Lawmakers Warn $1.2 Million in Polymarket Wildfire Bets Could Spur Arson
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 12
Lawmakers Warn $1.2 Million in Polymarket Wildfire Bets Could Spur Arson
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 12
Summary
$1.2 million was wagered on 2025 Los Angeles wildfire outcomes on Polymarket, drawing fresh warnings from lawmakers that such markets could incentivize arson.
Polymarket users bet on how many acres would burn, whether fires would reach nearby counties and when they might be contained, even as some participants voiced discomfort.
Sen. Jeff Merkley said disaster betting should not encourage “the obscene act of starting a fire,” echoing a broader Senate push to curb wildfire event contracts.
California Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, joined by other senators, have asked the CFTC to ban or restrict wildfire betting markets and respond by Aug. 14.