Polymarket has been paying online creators to post deceptive videos that appear to show them making lucrative bets on the prediction market, according to a new investigation by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The report, published in 2025, has sparked renewed scrutiny of the platform's marketing practices, which remain a point of concern in the evolving regulatory landscape of 2026.
The WSJ analyzed 1,100 videos about Polymarket and reviewed instructional materials provided to creators. Many of these videos were reportedly filmed on “near-perfect copies” of the Polymarket website, featuring trades and winnings that were not real. After recording, the content was amplified by a “social-media army” deployed by a marketing contractor, giving the illusion of widespread genuine user participation.
The investigation also revealed that Polymarket instructed creators not to disclose that they had been paid. However, after journalists began asking questions, several creators updated their bios to include “@polymarket partner.” Razeen Khan, a college student and creator who worked with Polymarket until March, defended the practice by comparing it to commercial advertising that makes fast food look more appealing than it is in real life: “We’re depicting what actually happens.”
In response to the report, Polymarket stated it is “committed to maintaining accurate, fair, and transparent markets” and plans to conduct an audit of its promotional content. As of early 2026, the platform faces increased regulatory attention globally, making transparency in user-generated marketing a critical issue for its continued operation.
via TechCrunch