Meta is conducting internal tests of a prediction market application intended for its own employees. This service, provisionally named Takes, allows participants to bet on various events and their outcomes, but the system operates using virtual points instead of real money.
According to information obtained by The Wall Street Journal from people familiar with the project, this initiative follows the company's standard procedure, which involves validating new features and products internally before any possible public launch.
Within Takes, employees use a virtual currency called 'cred,' an abbreviation for credibility. Participants who correctly predict an outcome receive points, while those who are wrong lose a portion of their balance.
It is important to note that, unlike other existing platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, Meta's application does not accept bets with real monetary values. Currently, there is no confirmation regarding the date of a potential public launch of the service, nor even whether such a launch will occur.
This move is not unprecedented at Meta. In June, The New York Times reported that Mark Zuckerberg had instructed a company team to develop a prediction market application, a project known internally at the time as Arena.
Zuckerberg has previously shown interest in expanding the company's application portfolio. During an internal meeting held in the Northern Hemisphere spring, he and product director Chris Cox discussed the feasibility of creating up to fifty new applications.
This move also reflects the growing popularity of prediction markets, particularly among Generation Z members. Meta aims to keep this audience engaged with its products and services.
The growth of this market segment has, however, generated regulatory challenges. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are facing lawsuits filed by American states, accusing them of operating illegal betting services.
The companies involved contest these allegations, claiming that their operations comply with the federal regulations of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
In response to the lawsuit filed by the State of New York, a Kalshi spokesperson characterized the legal dispute as 'political theater.' Meanwhile, Polymarket's legal representative declared the company's intention to defend its users.
Meta's foray into this sector, even adopting a model based on virtual credits, signals the corporation's interest in exploring modalities that combine event prediction, competition, and user interaction.
