Share 
A Mormon leader has criticized the growth of online prediction markets alongside sports betting, arguing the platforms amount to gambling and can encourage addictive behavior.
According to an Audacy report published Oct. 3, church leaders said online prediction markets can act as a gateway to broader gambling activity and conflict with Mormon values and teachings. The report framed the comments as part of a wider concern about the expansion of online betting products.
Prediction markets described as a gambling concern
The source says Mormon leaders explicitly grouped online prediction markets with other forms of gambling. Their concern was not limited to sports betting alone. They argued that prediction-market platforms may normalize wagering behavior and contribute to addiction risks.
That framing matters because prediction markets have often been discussed separately from traditional sportsbooks, especially in policy debates over whether they should be treated as financial products, event contracts, or gambling.
What the report does and does not establish
The Audacy story says church leaders view prediction markets as contrary to their teachings, but it does not identify in the available fact set which specific leader made the remarks or which platforms were being discussed.
It also does not mention a specific regulatory proposal, enforcement action, or state-level policy response tied to the comments. For readers following prediction-market regulation, that means the story is notable as part of the public debate around these platforms, but it does not by itself signal a legal change.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that opposition to prediction markets is not only coming from regulators and industry critics. Religious institutions are also publicly describing the products as gambling and raising concerns about addiction and broader social effects.
—
Source: As reported by audacy.com.
