Forbes is borrowing from the prediction markets playbook, but it is stopping well short of launching a betting platform. The media company has introduced ForbesPredict, a token-based forecasting tool designed to drive reader engagement rather than facilitate real-money wagering. The platform, developed in partnership with tech startup Axiom, will enter beta testing in February, with a broader release planned for later this year.
While the mechanics may look familiar to users of Kalshi or Polymarket, ForbesPredict operates in a different lane. There is no cash at stake, no contract trading, and no payouts. Users earn tokens based on the accuracy of their forecasts, building credibility and performance history instead of financial returns.
How ForbesPredict Works
ForbesPredict is embedded directly into articles as interactive widgets, prompting readers to answer outcome-based questions tied to the story they are reading. Topics span politics, business, sports, entertainment, weather, and fast-moving breaking news.
Readers can indicate how confident they are in a particular outcome using a sliding scale, then see how their prediction stacks up against the broader audience. As stories evolve, users receive alerts via email, SMS, push notifications, or onsite messages, encouraging them to revisit and update forecasts.
An entertainment article might ask whether an actor will win an Oscar, while a political piece could prompt predictions on the timing of a policy announcement. Breaking news is expected to be a key testing ground due to its rapid pace and frequent updates.
Gamification, Not Gambling
Forbes is positioning ForbesPredict as a replacement for passive engagement, not as a wagering alternative. The company’s goal is to increase time spent onsite, session depth, and repeat visits as search-driven traffic continues to soften across the media industry.
New users receive a limited number of tokens to try the platform, while registered users unlock additional predictions, performance tracking, and history tools. Over time, Forbes plans to reward tokens for other engagement actions, including profile completion, strengthening its first-party audience data.
Why It Matters
For US bettors, this may be a sign of a growing divide in the prediction market ecosystem. Regulated platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to trade real-money contracts tied to real-world outcomes. Media-driven tools like ForbesPredict adopt similar forecasting mechanics without financial risk, regulatory exposure, or cash payouts.
This approach appeals to users who enjoy analyzing outcomes but prefer zero volatility and zero monetary loss. It also reflects a broader industry shift as publishers experiment with prediction-style formats to capture sentiment and intent.
Unlike CNBC, CNN, Yahoo Finance, and Dow Jones, which partner with real-money prediction platforms to display market data, Forbes is keeping predictions in-house. Monetization will come from sponsorships, branded prompts, and advertising within the widgets.
The Bigger Strategy
Beyond engagement metrics, ForbesPredict feeds sentiment data into ForbesOne, the company’s first-party data platform. This allows Forbes to build audience segments based on how readers feel about specific topics, companies, and trends, data that is increasingly valuable to advertisers. It is interesting to see how prediction-driven experiences are becoming mainstream, extending well beyond sportsbooks and regulated markets. 2026 might just be the year for a major shift in gaming approaches.