Mormon Religious Leader Slammed Prediction Markets and Online Betting

D. Todd Christofferson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Mormon church, criticized prediction markets and sports betting and their rapid growth, saying they foster greed, particularly among youths. Religious Leader Criticized Prediction Markets Christofferson warned that rampant betting among teenagers and young adults is taking time away from their studies and relationships, particularly as smartphones make gambling accessible virtually anywhere. Speaking at the faith’s twice-annual general conference, Christofferson said that, for Latter-day Saints, the primary concern is the belief that gambling is morally wrong because it is rooted in the desire to get something for nothing. He noted that prediction markets now let people wager on events ranging from whether it will rain in Los Angeles to whether the United States will go to war. However, he also pointed to more unusual possibilities, asking attendees to consider whether people might even bet on the timing of the Second Coming of Jesus and, if so, where they would go to collect their winnings. The Church Goes Against the President’s Administration Christofferson’s words place the Mormon church, a conservative institution usually supporting Republicans, at odds with President Donald Trump. His administration has maintained that platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are not gambling services and therefore should not be subject to restrictions in states such as Utah, the church’s home state. Utah has been at the center of the legal battle over which authorities should regulate prediction markets and whether they should be classified as financial products or gambling. Recently, a court sided with the Utah gambling regulator in a dispute with Kalshi. Many Utah residents, particularly members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, see gambling as incompatible with values such as self-reliance, personal responsibility, and financial prudence. The restrictions are also driven by concerns over addiction, financial hardship, and broader community impacts, reflecting the deeply held beliefs of many people in the state. Matthew Bowman, a professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University in California, said prediction markets and legalized sports gambling are rapidly expanding across the country. However, this rapid growth has prompted religious organizations, state governments, and other institutions to grapple with the issue. For many, the rise of these forms of betting presents new challenges that they are still working to address. Of course, the criticism of prediction markets isn’t always based solely on moral or religious grounds, as for some, there are purely practical reasons to oppose the practice. For example, MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment have said they will not enter the prediction market field, citing potential risks to their gaming licenses.