Just because gambling in general is legal doesn't mean every possible gambling event is legal. If someone got caught hosting a dog fight, they don't get off the hook because gambling is legal. I can't think of a single reason why such laws against unethical or violent gambling shouldn't extend to human suffering as well.
mytailorisrich•2h ago
As far as I understand, there is no suggestion that this wager is illegal.
It is just in bad taste and, from the POV of Polymarket bad publicity that they'd rather avoid (not least to avoid stricter regulations, which are being mulled).
Even here in the UK, where betting and bookmakers are legal and regulated, I think such bet is perfectly legal if you find a bookmaker to offer you odds on it.
MentatOnMelange•1h ago
Thats my point, the law has not caught up to new forms of gambling. The fact its legal to bet on whether another human being will live or die is not due to society condoning it. It's because when laws against such barbaric practices were implemented, nobody imagined they'd need to worry about people gambling on bad things happening to other human beings.
This is in part how creating laws is supposed to work. You legislate things when either something bad is happening or is likely to begin happening soon. When something new is comparable to existing unethical practices, the fact we have to update the laws is not an excuse for it being legal. Its just that the alternative is making laws based on whims or conjecture of what might happen.
randomNumber7•1h ago
Dogfights are illegal because it is cruel to let the dogs fight to death. It's s.th. different when events happen anyways and you just place bets on them.
hgoel•1h ago
That supposes that the events are decoupled from the bets, when we've already had several cases of people possibly betting on things they either have control over, or have insider info on.
Plus, all of the reports of people being bet on receiving threats.
It's like we've forgotten all about why gambling is so heavily regulated in most of the world. It always metastizes into a cancer upon society unless very carefully and strictly confined away.
codeddesign•50m ago
Wall Street is heavily regulated, and yet both of your examples still occur.
This happens in sports betting as well, which is also regulated.
Neither of your examples show a material change or resolution due to regulation. The only result would be increased bureaucracy and decreased technology advancement.
randomNumber7•30m ago
> That supposes that the events are decoupled from the bets
The pilots in Iran are decoupled from the bets on polymarket. What are you talking about?
Cancer in society are intrusive persons who try to force their will upon others for no valid reason.
ceejayoz•10m ago
> The pilots in Iran are decoupled from the bets on polymarket.
Why on earth would you believe this is true?
Pilots aren't idiots. They know something's brewing. That's inside info they can trade on, or call a friend or family member back home about. There've been plenty of indications of big betting market moves in advance of public announcements of things like this.
adinhitlore•2h ago
"free speech" in america...
thisislife2•1h ago
How is this any different from betting on when Israel or America would invade Iran? Wouldn't Iranians be dying in an invasion?
MentatOnMelange•3h ago
mytailorisrich•2h ago
It is just in bad taste and, from the POV of Polymarket bad publicity that they'd rather avoid (not least to avoid stricter regulations, which are being mulled).
Even here in the UK, where betting and bookmakers are legal and regulated, I think such bet is perfectly legal if you find a bookmaker to offer you odds on it.
MentatOnMelange•1h ago
This is in part how creating laws is supposed to work. You legislate things when either something bad is happening or is likely to begin happening soon. When something new is comparable to existing unethical practices, the fact we have to update the laws is not an excuse for it being legal. Its just that the alternative is making laws based on whims or conjecture of what might happen.
randomNumber7•1h ago
hgoel•1h ago
Plus, all of the reports of people being bet on receiving threats.
It's like we've forgotten all about why gambling is so heavily regulated in most of the world. It always metastizes into a cancer upon society unless very carefully and strictly confined away.
codeddesign•50m ago
This happens in sports betting as well, which is also regulated.
Neither of your examples show a material change or resolution due to regulation. The only result would be increased bureaucracy and decreased technology advancement.
randomNumber7•30m ago
The pilots in Iran are decoupled from the bets on polymarket. What are you talking about?
Cancer in society are intrusive persons who try to force their will upon others for no valid reason.
ceejayoz•10m ago
Why on earth would you believe this is true?
Pilots aren't idiots. They know something's brewing. That's inside info they can trade on, or call a friend or family member back home about. There've been plenty of indications of big betting market moves in advance of public announcements of things like this.