US senators urge crackdown on wildfire betting amid warnings of arson risk
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/06/wildfire-betting-prediction-marketsOpen linkView original on lemmy.worldSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on lemmy.worldhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/06/wildfire-betting-prediction-marketsOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
5 replies
I can say two things about this:
Starting a wildfire to win a bet is one of the most morally reprehensible things a person could do.
“Both sides of the aisle” suddenly care about morals when private property (mainly of the upper middle and wealthy classes), rather than human suffering, is involved.
End-stage capitalism is truly the most degenerate of all timelines.
Some people are just sick mofo's.
I cannot imagine the hell you'd catch for starting a wildfire to win a bet.
That's like the easiest most life fucking crime you could possibly commit.
You'd have the SEC, FBI, EPA, Fire Marshall, and State and local police all investigating you.
And you would spend the rest of your life in prison, unable to spend any of your “winnings.”
'But they won't catch ME. I'm smart. The fire will burn all the evidence of my crime. I totally won't post about it later on social media.' - the arsonist
People who commit crimes and make wild bets are not usually known for their impressive executive function.