Gen Z Falls into the “Meme Circle” of Prediction Markets: Kalshi and Polymarket’s Youth-Oriented Marketing Draws Attention

According to Fortune magazine, prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are attracting younger users through meme culture, humorous memes, and gamified design. These platforms enhance user engagement with features like leaderboards, badges, and comment-based interactions, while also lowering participation barriers—setting the minimum age for use at 18, below the 21-year-old legal gambling age in most U.S. states. Currently, only a small number of top users profit from Polymarket trading, while approximately 69% of users incur losses. Experts warn that young users, whose cognitive development is still ongoing, may develop a high-risk investment dependency. U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Richard Blumenthal have reportedly introduced legislation to restrict minors’ exposure to prediction market advertising.