College students and teens could be fueling the prediction markets boom

News Brief: English

Summary

Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas suggests that 18- to 20-year-olds, who are typically too young for legal sports betting in the U.S., may be a significant driver behind the booming growth of prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket.

Key Points

  • Youth Demographic: Prediction markets are open to users 18+, unlike legal online sports betting which is usually restricted to ages 21+.
  • College Sports Focus: Data shows prediction platform Kalshi now handles more trades on college football than on the NFL or NBA, hinting at a younger user base.
  • Filling a Legal Gap: These markets see higher adoption in states like California and Texas where licensed sports betting is illegal.
  • Attracting Serious Bettors: Skilled gamblers may use prediction markets to place larger wagers, as they face betting limits on regulated sportsbooks.
  • Regulatory Scrutiny: NCAA President Charlie Baker has asked regulators to ban college sports trading on prediction markets until better safeguards exist.

新闻简报:中文

摘要

Truist证券分析师巴里·乔纳斯指出,在美国大多数州因年龄限制无法合法参与体育博彩的18至20岁年轻人,可能是预测市场(如Kalshi和Polymarket)快速增长的重要推动力。

关键点

  • 年轻用户群体:预测市场向18岁及以上用户开放,而合法的在线体育博彩通常限制为21岁及以上。
  • 聚焦大学体育:数据显示,预测平台Kalshi在大学美式足球上的交易量已超过NFL和NBA,暗示其用户群体可能更年轻。
  • 填补法律空白:在加利福尼亚州和德克萨斯州等未开放合法体育博彩的地区,预测市场的使用率更高。
  • 吸引资深投注者:熟练的投注者可能因受正规体育博彩平台投注额限制,而转向预测市场进行更大额投注。
  • 监管关注:NCAA主席查理·贝克已要求监管机构在建立更完善的保障措施之前,禁止预测市场交易大学体育赛事。

Original Article Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/15/prediction-markets-college-students-teens-could-be-fueling-the-boom.html

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