--- title: "Man Cracks Open Fortune Cookie, Disgusted by What He Finds Inside" description: "A picture going viral on social media shows a paper slip poking out of a fortune cookie that advertises Polymarket." date: "2026-10-26" modified: "2026-10-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/man-cracks-open-fortune-cookie-disgusted-by-what-he-finds-inside" categories: - "Brain" - "Future Society" - "Health & Medicine" - "Mental Health" --- # Man Cracks Open Fortune Cookie, Disgusted by What He Finds Inside ![Fortune cookies with a pixelated fortune message.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* Gambling ads have become practically inescapable — plastered all over subways, billboards, websites, and [TV broadcasts](), all in an effort to [lure in an audience struggling]() to make ends meet. Experts warn of an gambling addiction epidemic, as an [alarming proportion]() of the country admit to having used a sports betting app at least once or placing bets on the outcome of an event on a prediction platform, like Polymarket or Kalshi. Promotion efforts for the gambling platforms are reaching ridiculous new heights, as Open Measures senior researcher and podcast host Jared Holt found out first hand. A [picture he shared on social]() shows a fortune cookie he's cracked open — revealing a paper slip advertising Polymarket. "Yes, we paid for a fortune cookie ad," Holt's infuriating "fortune" reads, prompting him to scan a QR code. "For f\*\*\*’s sake," an infuriated Holt wrote. The image, which was [viewed millions of times]() across Bluesky and X, clearly hit a nerve closely reminiscent of the [public backlash to restaurants using AI slop]() for their menus. "I’d quite literally never order from this place again," entertainment writer Ethan Dayton [responded](). "We have truly hit rock bottom," another user [added](). "Misfortune cookie," another [quipped](). Plenty of questions surrounding the offending ad remain. We don't know whether Polymarket itself orchestrated the stunt or if it hired a third party company. Futurism has reached out to the company for clarification. But, as independent betting news website [*GamblingHarm* points out](), it's not exactly a new idea. For instance, there's a New York-based agency called OpenFortune that sells wholesale cookies for clients, including BetMGM Sportsbook and a litany of other gambling apps. (The agency doesn't currently list Polymarket on its website.) The fortune cookie ad shows the risks of a constant barrage of ads that will be seen by children and people fighting gambling addiction. Prediction markets' popularity has skewed the financial incentives behind trying to curb addiction in the United States. The largest nonprofit in the US designed to address gambling addiction recently [admitted to having struck a deal]() to accept donations from Kalshi. And a senator who once actively led a push against the proliferation of prediction markets has now [become a lobbyist for Kalshi](), demonstrating how efforts to establish clear boundaries for betting app ads continue to be undermined. Put simply, don't be surprised if your next fortune cookie is trying to goad you into gambling. **More on gambling:** *[News Organizations Like CBS Embracing Prediction Markets as “Journalism” Is a Deep Moral Disgrace]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Elon Musk Just Suffered a Humiliating Defeat in China]() - [Elon Musk’s Neuralink Caught Filing for Benefits Meant for Small Businesses Run by Minorities]() - [The Trump Administration Reportedly Has Extensive Logs of Epstein Money Transfers, Refuses to Release Them]() - [Calm Down About the Area 51 Fire, People]() - [We Just Got a Major Clue About Why Twitter’s CEO Suddenly Left This Week]() - [Elon Musk Says He Is So Sorry for His Horrible Behavior]() - [United Airlines Shuts Down Starlink WiFi Service on Its Planes After the Antennae Caused Problems With Its Jets’ Equipment]() - [Hawk Tuah Girl Admits She Knew Essentially Zero About Crypto When Her Disastrous Meme Coin Launched]()