Entertainment Odds: Is TikTok Getting Banned in the US?
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After nearly a year of congressional hearings, public outrage, and court battles, TikTok is just days away from being banned. The law that would effectively ban the app goes into effect on January 19th, 2025.
Time is running out on the clock app, but there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. Both President Biden and President-elect Trump have recently come out against the ban. This is great news for bettors, as it has created new markets at BetUS for betting on the potential TikTok ban.
President Biden Not Enforcing TikTok Ban
In the final weeks of his presidency, Biden has had to deal with a uniquely volatile situation. With the TikTok ban looming, millions of users have switched to the Chinese version of the app, nicknamed RedNote. The app is in Mandarin, but that did not stop millions of Americans from agreeing to the terms of service.
Biden supported the TikTok ban, but he has recently had a change of heart after months of public backlash. Recently, the Biden administration announced the outgoing president will not enforce the ban. As a result, it will be up to incoming president-elect Trump to decide the app’s face.
Trump has publicly supported and opposed the TikTok ban, so it is impossible to predict what he will do after being sworn in. If he follows Biden’s lead and allows the app to keep running, it would likely only be so it could be sold to an American company. As luck would have it, many US-based billionaires, the only people who could afford to buy the app, were heavy supporters of Trump’s campaign.
Will TikTok be Sold Before April 2025?
- Yes (+450)
Congress wants to ban TikTok unless ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, sells the app. In theory, not enforcing the ban would allow more time for a sale to be completed. BetUS lists a TikTok sale by April 2025 at +450 odds.
Over 170 million Americans use TikTok, including thousands of small business owners who rely on the app. However, there are roughly 2 billion (2,000,000,000) TikTok users worldwide. ByteDance can survive without the 170 million US-based users, so I would stay away from this bet for now.
- Prediction: No N/A
Elon Musk to Buy a Stake in TikTok Before the End of 2025?
- Yes (+275)
- No (-450)
I do not think TikTok will be sold anytime soon, but that has not stopped billionaires from publicly musing about buying the app. Elon Musk is one potential buyer. Musk already bought Twitter and the 2024 presidential election, so buying TikTok is not out of the question.
BetUS lists Musk at +275 to buy TikTok from China. You can also wager that he will not buy the app at -450.
Musk sunk billions into Twitter and ruined the app. His troubles with “X” could turn Musk off from buying another social media platform for the time being. Also, TikTok itself has refuted reports that it will be sold to Musk.
- Prediction: No -450
Mr. Beast to Buy a Stake in TikTok Before the End of 2025?
- Yes (+900)
Another wealthy celebrity proposed as a buyer for TikTok is Jimmy Donaldson, also known as Mr. Beast. He posted on X that he would buy the app so it would not be banned in the US. BetUS lists the YouTuber at +900 to buy a stake in TikTok by the end of the year.
Mr. Beast followed up his initial post by claiming that “so many” billionaires had reached out to him about buying the app. Despite his claims, I doubt Mr. Beast will have a stake in TikTok by the end of the year.
As I mentioned above, TikTok’s billions of users worldwide make it too valuable an asset for ByteDance to sell. Mr. Beast has also made wild claims before, such as saying he would run for President in 2024, months before the election, if the age limit were lowered.
- Prediction: No N/A
Do You Think TikTok Will Be Banned?
Is TikTok getting banned this year? Hundreds of members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill that would effectively ban the popular app in the US.
Check out the blog above to learn more about HR-7521 and how it could ban TikTok in the US. I also break down the latest odds on a TikTok ban bill being passed before the end of April. Then, head over to Bovada Sportsbook to see the latest odds of this political betting market.
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