Polymarket has launched a prediction market where gambling enthusiasts can speculate on the health of Pope Francis, inviting users to bet on whether there will be a “New Pope in 2025.”
Despite this controversy, Polymarket has reported that by Monday morning, the market had already amassed $1,337,365 in trading volume for several betting polls regarding the Pope.
These include:
- New Pope in 2025? – $595,853
- Who will be the new Pope? – $600,008
- New Pope before July? – $43,361
- Will Pope Francis step down before July? – $74,632
- What continent will the next Pope be from? – $23,511
While Polymarket has always been open about its intentions and does not shy away from controversy, not all users have found the concept of betting on the Pope’s health amusing. Some critics have condemned the market, with one remarking that “betting on the Pope’s health sends you directly to Hell.”
In addition, another user expressed moral discomfort with profiting from someone’s potential passing, choosing not to participate in the poll.
However, with the market reaching more than $1,3 million in volume at the time of writing, it seems like many others are unbothered by ethical concerns.
Historically, betting on papal elections was not always considered unethical, as this was a common practice in the 16th century until Pope Gregory XIV, in 1591, declared that Catholics should refrain from gambling on the selection of a pope or the duration of a papacy.
Some users, while disagreeing with Polymarket’s choice of markets, have still acknowledged that papal elections are “fair game” when it comes to gambling despite the ethical concerns they raise.
Polymarket is no stranger to controversy, as the platform previously allowed users to bet on events like the trajectory of the Los Angeles fires, a move that drew criticism from many US citizens and gambling enthusiasts alike.
Polymarket withdrew from the U.S. market in 2022 following a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
