For prediction markets in particular, affiliates play a crucial role in shaping awareness, education and engagement. PREDICTION MARKETS ARE CONTENT HEAVY Prediction markets generate ongoing content opportunities, where affiliates excel. Using SEO articles, reviews, trend coverage, and analysis, they support prediction products. These markets produce daily headlines, trending stories, sentiment shifts, and data-driven narratives, allowing timely content that matches user interests. This creates a continuous content cycle for both acquisition and retention. AFFILIATES DRIVE HIGH-INTENT CURIOSITY TRAFFIC Unlike traditional betting products, prediction markets often attract users who are not actively looking to place a wager. Instead, they are seeking answers to questions such as “Will this team win tonight?” or “What are the odds of this outcome?” Affiliates capture this curiosity-driven traffic and present prediction markets as a straightforward entry point, lowering the barrier to participation for new or casual users. AFFILIATES ENABLE SCALABLE MARKET EXPANSION Affiliates also offer a scalable route to market across geographies and niches. SEO-led comparison sites, influencers and streamers hosting live predictions, social media creators leveraging trending content, and niche affiliates focused on areas such as politics, crypto, or esports all help expand reach. By turning predictions into conversations, affiliates help convert interest into measurable user activity for operators. Looking Ahead Prediction markets are becoming a practical extension of the iGaming product mix, adopted by large operators to drive engagement and by smaller brands as a route to market. While approaches vary by operator size, one element remains consistent across the space: the role of affiliates. By educating users, capturing intent-driven searches, and driving discovery at scale, affiliates play a central role in how prediction markets are introduced and adopted. As this vertical continues to develop, the affiliate channel will remain a key mechanism for sustainable growth and market expansion. Erica Anderson is VP Marketing & Product, Income Access at Paysafe. Her role includes a focus on developing the marketing and product strategy for the Income Access brand. With over 15 years of industry experience, Anderson also oversees Income Access’ in-house affiliate management team, product team and its suite of digital marketing services. Prediction markets are growing fast, and while the controversy is global, the loudest fights are in the U.S. Two could shape the future of the category, and affiliates should watch both closely.STORM ONE The Regulatory Fight Are prediction markets derivatives or gambling? The federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) says derivatives. State gaming regulators say gambling. In April, the CFTC sued Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois to claim exclusive federal jurisdiction over event contracts. With the Trump administration’s backing, it has pressed federal preemption, and a federal appeals court recently ruled in Kalshi’s favor in a similar New Jersey case. States aren’t backing down. American Indian tribes have filed suits too, with California and Wisconsin tribes arguing prediction markets violate tribal gaming rights. More than a dozen federal cases are in motion, and the disputes could reach the Supreme Court. STORM TWO The Integrity Question In April, a U.S. Special Forces soldier was indicted for allegedly using classified intelligence about the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to buy contracts on Polymarket’s offshore exchange. He reportedly cleared more than $400,000. Suspicious trading also surfaced around military operations involving Iran in February. The CFTC has already issued an advisory citing two earlier cases: a political candidate who traded on his own race, and a YouTube-affiliated trader who profited from videos before they were released. At least three federal bills are pending to ban insider trading on prediction markets and bar federal officials from profiting on contracts tied to government action. Sports leagues want safeguards too. The NBA has asked the CFTC to require league sign-off on new contracts, raise the trading age to 21, and ban athletes and personnel from trading. The NFL has flagged markets it sees as easy to manipulate, like missed field goals. TwtooWBaattct lhe s BEHIND THE BOOM By Gary Trask 21 GPWAtimes.org
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