BETBY’s new predictions platform omits controversial markets

(AsiaGameHub) –   BETBY is joining the predictions trend, though it has put extra care into ensuring its platform steers clear of some of the sector’s more contentious aspects.

The Malta-based sportsbook solutions provider launched its predictions platform, BETBY Predictions, today. The company plans to make the platform accessible to all firms in its partner network.

BETBY has clearly observed the global growth of prediction platforms—Kalshi and Polymarket, for instance, were valued at $22bn and $9bn respectively as of March 2026.

It has also taken note of the traditional gaming industry’s interest in predictions as a new vertical, though some stakeholders like the American Gaming Association (AGA) remain strongly opposed.

Fanatics, DraftKings and FanDuel—in that order—have all rolled out prediction platforms in the US, while UK betting exchange Matchbook entered the space late last year, and the Gibraltar government has licensed its first predictions platform too.

“BETBY Predictions represents a natural progression of the sportsbook experience,” said Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Innovation and R&D. “We’re taking the core principles of betting and applying them to areas beyond sports. 

“This is about transforming global moments into engaging opportunities for players, in a way that’s both scalable and responsible.”

BETBY prioritizes tasteful content

The rise of prediction platforms hasn’t been without controversy. First, there’s a legal debate over whether these platforms are considered gambling.

Regulators in European countries like Belgium, France and Portugal say yes, as do US states like Nevada and Arizona, but the US federal regulator for the sector—the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)—says no.

It seems, however, that bookmakers interested in predictions (like the firms mentioned above) are more than happy to have their prediction platforms sit alongside their traditional sportsbooks—and this is the market BETBY is looking to target.

But BETBY has also paid attention to another controversial element of predictions: the types of markets users can bet on. A key selling point for Kalshi and Polymarket is their range of political and current affairs events.

These markets have included standard ones like who will become the next US President (similar to what traditional sportsbooks offer on their politics pages) to darker ones—such as the likelihood of US strikes on nations like Venezuela and Iran, the chances of ceasefires in wars, or whether China will invade Taiwan.

The morbid nature of these bets has caught the attention of mainstream media like the BBC. It has also raised concerns about insider trading, given the potential for government officials with knowledge of upcoming decisions to place bets and profit.

BETBY states that its own predictions platform was developed with careful safeguards, excluding “highly sensitive or controversial topics” like geopolitics, active conflicts and wars, and events “involving human suffering”.

The firm also stresses that it retains “full control over market creation, ensuring that all content is carefully curated and reviewed, with a clear commitment to responsible and appropriate market selection”.