Fullstory survey finds prediction markets changing sportsbook use

Prediction markets are already reshaping some customers’ use of traditional sportsbooks, according to Fullstory’s 2026 Gambling & Gaming Survey. Sixty percent of respondents said the markets were changing how often they used sportsbooks, while 35% said they used sportsbooks less often as prediction markets expanded.

A further 25% said they used prediction markets and sportsbooks for different kinds of events. The findings suggest coexistence as well as substitution, rather than a wholesale move away from conventional sports-wagering platforms.

The survey, released Sept. 22, was conducted this month by a third-party research provider among more than 1,000 U.S. consumers. It examined online gaming and betting behaviour, platform preferences and expectations for digital experiences.

Broader choice of contracts could be an important draw. Thirty-two percent of consumers considering prediction markets said more types of events would make them more likely to choose one over a traditional sportsbook. Another 25% cited greater transparency on outcomes and pricing, and 18% pointed to a simpler, more intuitive experience.

Sports were the most popular betting category among prediction-market users, at 62%. Casino.org’s account of the survey also found that 42% of consumers had traded economic or financial derivatives, while more than a quarter had traded at least one entertainment or pop-culture contract. Those measures cover different activities and should not be read as a single participation rate.

The survey also points to a consumer base willing to compare services: 53% of bettors said they always or often compared prediction markets or gaming platforms before placing a bet. Eighty-three percent said they would be very or somewhat likely to abandon a gaming platform after a poor digital experience.

Speed and clarity ranked highly in decisions to return. Fifty-one percent named fast performance as the leading factor, while 45% cited clear information about markets and payouts. Seventy-nine percent rated real-time information and responsiveness as extremely or very important, and 38% said an overly complicated process would be most likely to make them abandon a prediction or leave a platform.

Jason Wolf, Fullstory’s president, said a growing range of online-gaming options was making a seamless digital experience part of the value proposition. Twelve percent of respondents had switched platforms because another offered personalization aligned with their interests, and 9% said interest-based recommendations would make them more likely to try a prediction market.

Prediction markets generally let users take yes-or-no positions on future real-world outcomes. Contracts are priced as fractions of $1 that reflect the probability implied by market participants; a winning contract pays $1 after the outcome is finalised, while users may sell before then as prices move.

The results arrive as sports-event contracts have become a prominent part of the U.S. betting market. Crypto.com began offering sports contracts nationwide in late 2024, followed by Kalshi in January 2025, according to Sportico.