Prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi are staging high-profile grocery giveaways in New York City as lawmakers debate legislation that could sharply restrict their business in the state.
The timing places both companies squarely in the political orbit of Zohran Mamdani. This new mayor’s affordability agenda includes a proposal for city-run, non-profit grocery stores.
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Free Groceries as Political Backdrop
Polymarket announced today that it had signed a lease for a temporary pop-up it is calling “New York’s first free grocery store,” set to open February 12. The company also said it donated $1 million to Food Bank For New York City.
Kalshi held a separate, shorter “free grocery” event earlier. It covered shoppers’ bills for a limited period at a Manhattan supermarket.
Neither company said the initiatives were coordinated with City Hall.
However, the language and framing closely mirror Mamdani’s campaign proposal to open publicly owned grocery stores in all five boroughs to lower food prices.
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Mamdani’s Plan and the City’s Limits
Mamdani has argued that city-owned grocery stores could reduce costs by operating on a non-profit basis and using public property to cut rent and overhead. The proposal remains at the pilot-concept stage, with no finalized implementation timeline.
Importantly, the mayor has no direct authority over the regulation of prediction markets. Oversight of those platforms sits at the state and federal levels.
Still, Mamdani’s affordability messaging has become a focal point in New York’s political discourse, making it a natural reference point for companies seeking public legitimacy.
State Lawmakers Move in Parallel
At the same time, New York state lawmakers are advancing proposals that could directly affect platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi.
One proposal, often referred to as the ORACLE Act, would restrict or prohibit certain categories of prediction contracts for New York residents and place tighter limits on event-based markets.
Separate legislation would require prediction market operators to obtain state licenses before operating. These measures are driven by concerns that some contracts resemble unregulated gambling or could be vulnerable to manipulation.
Overall, by tying their branding to food affordability and local philanthropy, both platforms appear to be positioning themselves as civic-minded New York companies at a moment when their future in the state remains uncertain.
Source: https://beincrypto.com/polymarket-kalshi-court-mayor-mamdani-free-grocery/
