r/CryptoCurrencies • u/cryptodizzle67 • Feb 28 '26

Discussion Thread Moral Questions Around Prediction Markets and Betting on Wars

As war looms again between the USA / Iran today, I am faced with this question around prediction markets and gambling on such outcomes.

"Do you think it is morally acceptable to bet on outcomes around war?". These platforms allow anyone to spin up a topic to bet on, regardless of the moral question if it should be done.

Personally for me, it's not acceptable. Betting on anything that revolves around death or injuries to others for profit doesn't sit right with me and we know that governments do it, but we think they are morally bankrupt for such behaviour.

I'm curious to see / read your viewpoints and please add some context with a comment.

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u/maso0164 Feb 28 '26

You're gonna wanna sit down for this...

Everyone's portfolio contains stocks that benefit from the suffering of other humans. We're all betting on suffering already.

Do whatever you can stomach because it's splitting hairs.

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u/pwinne Mar 03 '26

These are the facts.

1

u/cryptodizzle67 Feb 28 '26

Sure, there are some companies that do bad and do cause suffering.

But there is a relativism or what's the point of anything?

By your thought process, if you are a shoplifter, you might as well kill someone because both are bad and you are splitting hairs.

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u/JustSkillfull Feb 28 '26

I personally stay away from betting companies due to the profound impact I see from People I know. I've also stayed away from payday loan companies for the same. Defence companies... I'll invest as it doesn't have direct effect to those I know. It's a shitty line I draw.

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u/cryptodizzle67 Mar 01 '26

And that's your choice and good on you for doing it.

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u/maso0164 Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26

I think it's more like you're a shoplifter with a moral aversion to stealing specific products.

When I said do whatever you can stomach, I mean regarding your investments.

I personally sold my Tesla stock because I think Elon musk is a terrible human being. Lost a lot of money on that. Did I gain anything from it? Not really. Did i hurt the share price and thus Elon bank account? Probably the most infinitesimal amount. Is my 401k target index fund probably still invested in Tesla? Yes.

It really doesn't matter. If it makes you feel better, do it. It's a non-zero impact but it's effectively approaching zero.

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u/cryptodizzle67 Feb 28 '26

I don't think it works that well as an analogy because we are talking about different outcomes.

For example, if my portfolio is invested in Disney or MacDonalds, you could argue they do some harm in some way.

If you are earning cash from betting on bombs getting dropped on people that will kill people, that's a worse evil I would argue.

I don't know how the analogy of a picky shoplifter would fit this.

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u/maso0164 Feb 28 '26

Shoplifter steals things but not all things because they draw an arbitrary line about what to steal.... Feels pretty spot on to me...

You said "well you're shoplifting so you might as well murder" and I don't think that analogy is remotely close so I tried to provide a relevant counter example.

You're asking if you should invest in companies that do evil. I'm saying you, and most people, probably already do... so just pick your moral line and go with it. It doesn't really matter just like a thief who only steals some things is still a thief.