Polymarket questioned over alleged influencer deals with election deniers
A US congressman has written to chief executive Shayne Coplan to request details of Polymarket’s policies and safeguards for paid partnerships.
US.- Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is seeking information about the prediction market platform’s paid partnerships with influencers who reportedly promoted election denial claims while advertising election betting markets. The Illinois Democrat has written to chief executive Shayne Coplan to request details of its safeguards for paid partnerships and internal communications about election-related promotional activities by July 28.
The letter asks whether Polymarket knew at the time of entering or renewing arrangements that any influencers or paid partners had publicly promoted election denialism or questioned the legitimacy of US elections. It also seeks identification of those individuals or entities and the basis for that knowledge.
Krishnamoorthi also requested details of policies governing paid promotions, affiliate programmes and influencer partnerships related to election markets, including whether those policies address content that questions election integrity or promotes claims of voter fraud, and how such policies are enforced.
The congressman demanded production of documents from January 20 2025 to the present covering the vetting, approval or monitoring of influencers and affiliates, internal discussions or policies and any guidelines, training materials or enforcement records concerning paid promotion of election-related markets.
“Recent reporting has raised significant questions about how election-related prediction markets are promoted and whether existing safeguards are sufficient to prevent the spread of misleading narratives about election integrity,” Krishnamoorthi said.
“These dynamics create dangerous incentives. When political influence and financial incentives become intertwined, platforms risk incentivising premature claims, misleading narratives, and false allegations before votes are fully counted or certified.”
The letter does not accuse Polymarket of violating any laws but comes amid congressional scrutiny of prediction markets. More than two dozen federal bills and resolutions have addressed election contracts, insider trading and related issues.
