Kalshi cuts ties with several X affiliates over antisemitic content

Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have been exploiting X’s lax moderation by partnering with dubious accounts that peddle fake news and inappropriate content to boost traffic to their platforms.

It was recently noted that both prediction markets have been partnering with fake sports newsbreakers on social media and leveraging the virality of their fake news to boost engagement.

Now comes news that Kalshi was partnering with several X accounts that pushed antisemitic content.

As first noted by Event Horizon’s Dustin Gouker and later reported by Ben Horney at Front Office Sports, the platform cut ties with several X accounts that, in recent days, posted content referencing Adolph Hitler or making antisemitic remarks. The accounts have had their Kalshi badges removed.

The posts include an image of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who is Jewish, photoshopped onto Adolph Hitler, as a reference to the NBA’s scheduling of three Thunder-Spurs games in 12 days. Another account dedicated to NFL memes posted an AI video of Adolph Hitler in reference to Patrick Mahomes. Another account referred to a person “with a big nose” in an allusion to a Jewish stereotype and included an NFL GIF. A fourth account posted an AI-generated image of Aaron Rodgers wearing a Nazi uniform.

According to a Kalshi spokesperson, the X badges do not mean that the account is an official partner of the prediction market.

“Badges are like bumper stickers or team logos—accounts show brand affinity, but they’re not acting on our behalf,” Kalshi spokesperson Elisabeth Diana told Front Office Sports. “We prohibit any content that promotes hate speech, and we immediately revoked these badges for breaking our rules.”

Based on the kinds of accounts that Kalshi partners with through X’s badge program, it stands to reason they are happy to engage with accounts posting engagement bait, fake news, and offensive content, so long as it doesn’t escape containment. However, as this pattern has emerged and people like Gouker are focused on calling it out when they see it, that may not be an effective long-term strategy.

Still, companies like Kalshi seem to thrive on pushing the boundaries of good taste in their business models. And considering that these are far from the first controversial or edgelord content associated with Kalshi and Polymarket, including offensive content from their own channels, we won’t hold our breath that they’ll attempt to prevent similar situations in the future.