Polymarket Paid Creators for Deceptive Bet Videos, WSJ Finds

Polymarket paid online creators to post deceptive videos showing lucrative bets on its prediction market platform, according to a new Wall Street Journal investigation. The WSJ analyzed 1,100 videos about Polymarket and reviewed instructional materials provided to creators, finding many videos were filmed on near-perfect copies of the Polymarket website featuring fake trades and winnings. The videos were part of a marketing strategy that deployed a social-media army through a contractor to amplify the promotional content across platforms.

WSJ Investigation Analyzed 1,100 Polymarket Videos

The Wall Street Journal analyzed 1,100 videos about Polymarket and viewed instructional materials that the company provided to creators. Many of those videos were filmed on near-perfect copies of the Polymarket website, while featuring trades and winnings that were not real. The creator videos were then amplified by a social-media army deployed by a marketing contractor.

Creators Added Disclosure Labels After Journalist Inquiries

The company told creators not to specify that they had been paid by Polymarket. The creators started adding "@polymarket partner" to their bios after journalists began asking questions. Razeen Khan, a college student and creator who worked with Polymarket until March, compared the practice to commercials that make fast food look more appealing than it is in real life: "We're depicting what actually happens."

Polymarket Plans Promotional Content Audit

Polymarket said it is committed to maintaining accurate, fair, and transparent markets and plans to conduct an audit of its promotional content.

FAQ

How many Polymarket videos did the Wall Street Journal analyze? The Wall Street Journal analyzed 1,100 videos about Polymarket and also viewed instructional materials that the company provided to creators.

What did Polymarket tell creators about payment disclosure? The company told creators not to specify that they had been paid by Polymarket. Creators started adding "@polymarket partner" to their bios after journalists began asking questions.

What action did Polymarket announce after the investigation? Polymarket said it plans to conduct an audit of its promotional content and stated it is committed to maintaining accurate, fair, and transparent markets.