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Prediction markets in the UK: betting the house or hedging your bets?

29 June 2026 / Author(s): Ferdisha Snagg , Noah D’Aeth
Issue: July 2026 / Categories: Feature

Prediction markets are trading platforms on which participants trade event contracts whose value depends on whether specified future events occur. In the US, these markets are currently experiencing a period of rapid growth, and at the same time have emerged as one of the most contested areas at the intersection of financial regulation and gambling law. In the UK, their regulatory characterisation turns on whether the contract references a “financial” or a non-financial outcome.

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