Polymarket let users bet on wildfires. Lawmakers warn that could spur arson.

Really this applies to anything that you can bet on in these prediction markets. If X is an event that you can bet on, then you are potentially incentivizing someone to go out and make sure X actually happens.

It doesn't take a genius to see that this isn't a good thing.

Speculation with things that affect the well-being and safety of other people should be banned, period. We have seen the impact it has had on real state or the food market to the point people have become unable to purchase new houses without indebting themselves for life.

Also reminds me of that black mirror from last season where the IT crowd guy damages his own body to entertain strangers so they give him the money he needs to support his wife. What's stopping someone poor without much to lose from burning down a forest if there's a significant monetary incentive?

Mirror:

https://archive.ph/F5ea5

Yes, because what we want are warnings and not regulations. Warnings

This WILL spur arson.

Americans are just so freaking dumb

It's not even funny anymore.

For fucks' sake, man...