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Before U.S. and Israeli missiles struck Tehran, users of Kalshi and Polymarket placed short-term wagers that Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would be out of power. Now, those bets are under scrutiny. Some U.S. lawmakers have raised questions about whether the markets should be allowed, and if some anonymous traders had inside information ahead of the strikes. Meanwhile, some users complained about how their bets were resolved.
“It’s insane this is legal,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) wrote in a post on X. “I’m introducing legislation ASAP to ban this.” Murphy alleged that people around President Trump were “profiting off war and death.” Asked for comment, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said, “the only special interest guiding the Trump administration’s decision-making is the best interest of the American people.”
