Are gaming markets becoming entertainment first, and gambling second?

With the rise of online betting in the United States and the rise of entertainment-driven prediction markets, is gaming’s identity evolving?

The atmosphere of the game is rapidly evolving as more and more innovations enter the space. Prediction markets are encroaching on the space of traditional gambling companies, with market leaders like Kalshi partners with big brands like CNN gain a foothold in the traditional media space.

CNN partners with Kalshi to integrate prediction markets into its global newsroom.

The first major news network to adopt Kalshi Prediction Markets.

A new media era has arrived. pic.twitter.com/uXLlWVLjQs

-Kalshi (@Kalshi) December 3, 2025

The growing prevalence of prediction markets means that cultural or entertainment deals are becoming increasingly synonymous with betting. A quick look at Kalshi’s Bets, for example, shows some you’d expect from traditional sportsbooks, but also some more unusual options, such as “What Will Carmelo Anthony Say During The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon?” ” or “ “Avatar: Fire And Ash” Rotten Tomatoes score?

Additionally, traditional gambling brands are attacking people’s attention with more and more entertainment or gaming-focused approaches. Microparis during live sporting events and identical matches, they become quick, inexpensive bets that are seen more as part of the fun of watching live sports than taking a risk on a bet.

“The gaming industry is restructuring itself into something that doesn’t look like gaming at all, and that’s exactly what worries me,” said Aja Chavez, vice president of teen services at Mission Preparation Healthcarea residential health care center for adolescents, while speaking to ReadWrite. “My clients no longer consider themselves players. These are “engaged fans” who use applications that resemble social networks.

“The industry has managed to rebrand betting as entertainment, and it’s working. People spend hours on these platforms without recognizing them as gambling because it seems like another part of sports. When I ask them about it, many really don’t make the connection between their daily use of the apps and what their parents did at bookmakers.”

Of course, this isn’t necessarily something entirely new. Casinos, perhaps one of the most traditional forms of gambling, have always favored the glitz and glamor of spectacle.

What is new, however, is how widespread this atmosphere of fun and gaming is when it can be broadcast to everyone through gaming apps and online slot games.

Gaming is increasingly integrated into places generally reserved for entertainment. You can find gambling odds and prediction markets seamlessly on social media platforms like X, exposing more people to betting-like services from new demographics.

A new type of bettor

As the line between entertainment and gambling blurs, new people are entering the world of betting. While this is not a bad thing in itself, lack of awareness of problematic behaviors can expose them to risks they are not accustomed to.

Indeed, David Weisselberger, founding partner of Clear casea law firm dedicated to helping individuals resolve their criminal histories, has seen an increasing number of first-time offenders being charged with petty theft or embezzlement. Each violation tends to be under $1,000 and was triggered by attempts to conceal or finance losses on weekend “fun” bets, often through embezzlement of company funds or small-scale fraudulent acts.

“Traditional risk assessment models used by regulators don’t capture this demographic of users because they don’t play frequently enough or with the desperation of a traditional gaming addict,” Weisselberger told ReadWrite. “However, they continue to support their families and work full-time jobs until they are arrested. »

Although small in scale and tend to go unnoticed, these are earlier indicators of potentially dangerous behavior this could be missed.

“Paris accessories and in-play micro-bets create a mental framework that leads users to view their betting activities as a form of media consumption and not as high-stakes gambling,” Weisselberger added. “When a user places ten $50 prop bets on a quarterback’s pass completion, they view the activity as a supplement to an enhanced viewing experience. This creates a lower barrier to entry for those who may never enter a casino because they don’t perceive themselves as gamblers.

A change is needed

While this is all great for gambling companies, it raises potentially worrying new questions about reducing gambling-related harm.

“When it comes to how we should measure risk and harm, our traditional methods were built for a different time,” Chavez explained. “We look for things like chasing losses, lying about money or desperate financial situations. These things are still important, but they miss something crucial in modern betting.

“What I’m seeing now is a new pattern. People are gradually losing money through constant small bets, and they’re spending an enormous amount of time on these platforms. By the time these classic warning signs appear, the psychological attachments are already deep.”

In the United States, some of the signs that gambling operators must watch for as part of social responsibility requirements include increasing the amount of bets, continued losses, increased deposits, prolonged gambling, and signs of financial problems such as borrowing money.

However, as Chavez points out, micro-gambling might not trigger these early signs in the same way, but the same unhealthy and harmful behaviors could still take root, especially among vulnerable people.

“I think we need to start looking for different red flags,” Chavez said. “We need to ask questions about how much time and mental space the platform consumes, whether betting has become integrated into their identity as a fan, and how normalized it has become in their daily lives. That’s where the harm now begins.”

The game has not only changed its form: it seems to have changed its meaning.

Featured Image: Unsplash

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