Mormon Leader Decries Explosion in Sports Betting, Prediction Markets
Mormon leader D. Todd Christofferson warns that the explosion in sports betting and prediction markets fosters greed, especially among youths.Summary
A leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, D. Todd Christofferson, warned on Saturday that the explosion in gambling driven by online prediction markets and sports betting is fostering greed, particularly among youths, while producing "nothing of value." He said rampant betting among teenagers and young adults is robbing time from their studies and relationships as smartphones make gambling possible anywhere. Christofferson also declared that gambling is morally wrong, which puts the conservative church at odds with President Donald Trump, whose administration has argued that platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket don't constitute gambling and therefore shouldn't be subject to restrictions in states such as Utah. Utah has been at the forefront of the legal dispute over whether prediction markets should be considered finance or gambling, and a federal judge ruled in August that Utah officials can enforce its strict anti-gambling laws on prediction markets. The church has been wading into political issues under President Dallin Oaks, opposing state ballot measures on abortion rights in Idaho and Nevada.
(Source：U.S. News & World Report)