Residents in Hong Kong continue to use platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi for bets on politics and other topics even after official warnings.
A 25-year-old French resident named Jean Pierre began using Polymarket last year seeking easy money. He placed wagers on political events including whether Sanae Takaichi would become Japan’s prime minister and on short-term Bitcoin price movements.
Jean Pierre wagered about HK$1,500 over the past year and briefly reached HK$4,000 in winnings before losing it all. He described the activity as gambling because outcomes cannot be known in advance.
The platforms remain active among Hong Kong users despite prior official cautions ahead of the World Cup.