The Vergecast Everything is gambling now
67 snips
Dec 16, 2025 
Join Joe Weisenthal, a Bloomberg markets reporter, as he dives into the fascinating world of prediction markets, exploring the blurry line between gambling and investing. He discusses why sports and elections draw betting interest and the societal implications of a betting-centric culture. Meanwhile, Hayden Field from The Verge unpacks the Model Context Protocol, a breakthrough in AI infrastructure, revealing its potential for transforming how AI functions. Together, they tackle everything from crypto's impact to the future of shopping in AI.
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What Prediction Markets Actually Are
- Prediction markets price outcomes like financial contracts, not just bets, by letting people trade contracts that pay if an event occurs.
- The structural difference is market-set odds and tradability, but economically they often resemble gambling.
No Clear Line Between Investing And Gambling
- Distinguishing investing from gambling is blurry; options and futures often resemble bets depending on time horizon and intent.
- No bright line separates hedging, speculation, and gambling in markets or prediction platforms.
Regulatory Tension Over Who Controls Betting
- Prediction platforms are regulated differently because they adopt trading language, pushing them under national regulators like the CFTC.
- That federal preemption can nullify states' traditional control over gambling within their borders.