Prediction markets are no stranger to public attacks. It’s been mostly tribal leaders, state lawmakers, and politicians, but even athletes are coming at them. WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike is the latest, as she blamed the industry for player safety threats in a recent interview.
The Los Angeles Sparks star claimed WNBA players have been victims of “vitriol” stemming from prediction market trades. The 11x All-Star highlighted a real concern, but a closer look reveals it's not a new one.
WNBA Star Raises Player Threat Concern
Ogwumike spoke at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit recently, highlighting concern for player safety, and blaming the rise of prediction markets for extra “vitriol” toward WNBA athletes.
“It’s not a safe place for athletes”, the Los Angeles Sparks star declared, detailing that many WNBA players have dealt with hostility due to trades gone wrong on prediction market platforms.
Ogwumike also suggested that some WNBA player safety issues have not been made public, while the league’s resources haven’t always been successful at shielding its talent from outside harassment.
Player Harassment Isn’t a New Threat
The threat of exterior harassment is very real, so there’s no denying Ogwumike’s point here. In an increasingly more online and betting-centric world, the hate being spewed at professional athletes is undeniably at an all-time high.
However, the ever-expanding internet and endless string of betting platforms makes it more visible than ever. While a legitimate problem and certainly serious, it simply isn’t a new one.
Technology has allowed sports bettors and traders easy access to professional athletes, giving them pathways to express their disdain, or even deliver threats.
No amount of harassment is ever okay, but Ogwumike’s claim that prediction markets are responsible falls flat. Sportsbooks have been around long before prediction market sites like Kalshi and Polymarket, and the same issues occurred with them.
Prediction Markets Aren’t the Root Evil
The growth of prediction markets is admittedly making the problem look worse on a grander stage, but player prop bets have given way to athlete harassment since their inception.
Adding more avenues for people to bet or trade is naturally going to make this issue look bigger than it really is. Of course, there’s also the integrity side of it, which is something the NBA and some sportsbooks have worked to correct.
With a number of NBA betting scandals occurring in recent years, the league and certain sportsbooks have agreed to ban certain bets and parlays that deal with athlete “unders”.
This logic could simultaneously be attached to player threat defense, although it may not be able to account for players failing to hit their “overs”, whether it be at traditional sportsbooks or prediction markets.
The Trade Handle Prediction Markets Take
Admitting that athletes get threatened by angry bettors isn’t difficult. Nor is it hard to admit better measures could be taken to enhance player safety.
The problem is when athletes (or anyone at all) starts pointing the finger directly at prediction market platforms. This is a problem, but it is one that existed long before Kalshi or Polymarket started pecking away at a big piece of the online betting pie.
Rather than instituting the blame game, a more productive option may be to upgrade athlete defense protocols, update reporting processes, and issue more serious repercussions for threats against professional athletes.
There’s no doubt that WNBA stars (or any athletes) deserve to compete under a safe umbrella, regardless of their performance. However, prediction markets shouldn’t suffer the consequences of an unfortunate reality that reared its ugly head long before they arrived.