A recent national survey conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and Harris Poll reveals widespread public consensus that prediction markets require robust consumer protections, similar to traditional gambling platforms. The findings indicate a significant portion of Americans view these platforms as a form of gambling, underscoring a strong demand for safeguards to protect users.
The findings come amid growing national discussion around prediction markets, consumer protection, and public health as participation in emerging financial trading platforms continues to expand.
The survey found that nearly half of Americans (45%) say prediction markets are comparable to gambling while 27% say they are most similar to investing. The findings build on earlier NCPG/Harris polling conducted in March 2026, which similarly found that 30% of Americans viewed prediction markets as akin to gambling.
Most pointedly, according to the survey, 84% of Americans believe prediction market platforms should be treated similarly to gambling when it comes to consumer protections, while 82% say platforms where people can risk money on future outcomes should be required to offer responsible gaming or consumer protection tools such as deposit limits, cooling-off periods, and access to help resources.
In addition, 85% of Americans agree that people can develop unhealthy or addictive behavior related to prediction market platforms.
“These findings show that the public recognizes prediction markets as platforms that can carry many of the same risks associated with gambling. Regardless of how these products are classified legally, Americans clearly believe that if financial risk and repeated participation are involved, meaningful consumer protections should follow,” said Heather L. Maurer, Executive Director at NCPG.
The survey additionally found that 86% of Americans agree that prediction market platforms involve financial risk similar to other forms of gambling; however, only 56% of Americans say they would know where to go for help if they or someone they know developed a problem related to prediction market use.
“As these platforms continue to expand, there is a growing need for public awareness, education, and access to support resources. As retail participation in financial markets continues to evolve, NCPG is committed to ensuring consumer education and harm prevention efforts evolve alongside them. That commitment includes new efforts to better understand emerging risks and strengthen consumer education through NCPG’s Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative, and engage organizations operating within the financial sector through our Financial Services & Trading membership subcategory,” Maurer added.
The survey was conducted online within the US by The Harris Poll on behalf of NCPG from May 12–14, 2026 among 2045 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
