Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin expressed his support for the existence of bets on the Polymarket platform related to military events in the Middle East, including the potential Israeli invasion of Lebanon and actions by U.S. forces. A user with the nickname Legendary voiced concerns that such bets could “turn war into a game.”

In response, Buterin noted that Polymarket serves not only as a betting platform but also as a resource where users can learn the opinions of others, which, in his view, helps maintain common sense in difficult situations. He emphasized that prediction markets are not about “profiting from disasters” but creating an environment where words have real consequences.

Moral Issues and Predictions

Buterin also touched on the moral aspects of such platforms. He explained that it is important to understand that overconfidence in predictions should be penalized. When asked about potential prediction markets for murders, he firmly stated that he is against such ideas. For him, the key question is whether such prediction markets could incentivize harmful actions.

The Context of Polymarket Platform

Polymarket is a prediction platform where users can bet on the outcomes of various events, including political, economic, and social issues. Prediction markets are often seen as tools for gathering collective opinions and identifying likely scenarios based on collective knowledge. However, bets related to armed conflicts raise debates over the moral and ethical implications of their use.

Community Reaction

Opinions in the cryptocurrency community regarding Buterin’s comments are divided. Some believe that such bets indeed contribute to an objective analysis of complex events, while others see them as a danger of “monetizing tragedies.” The debate surrounding predictive markets continues, especially in the context of sensitive topics such as wars and humanitarian crises.