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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Sophie Sullivan

US senators urge crackdown on wildfire betting amid warnings of arson risk

Home burns in Los Angeles wildfire
A home burns during the Palisades fire in January 2025. The senators said people could be ‘tempted to commit arson’ to win money. Photograph: Agustin Paullier/AFP/Getty Images

A group of US lawmakers is sounding the alarm over prediction market platforms that allow users to bet on wildfires, as experts warn the emerging trend could raise the risk of arson.

Democratic senators from six states sent a letter this week to the chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an independent government agency regulating platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, urging it to rein in the practice.

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