Frequently asked questions
Everything you might want to know about how polyswiss works, what virtual coins are, and how markets settle. Still stuck? Get in touch.
Is polyswiss real-money gambling?
No. You only ever stake virtual coins, which are given to you for free and have no cash value. Coins cannot be bought, sold, transferred or exchanged for money, goods or prizes. Because nothing of monetary value is ever at stake, polyswiss is a social game, not gambling under the Swiss Federal Act on Gambling (Geldspielgesetz).
What are virtual coins worth?
Nothing, in money terms — and that's the whole idea. Coins are a score that tracks how well you call outcomes. You can't cash them out and you never need to pay for them; their only value is the track record and the bragging rights they represent.
How do I get coins?
You get 1,000 coins as a one-time bonus when you create and verify your account. If you run low — under 100 coins — you can reset your account back to 1,000 at any time; the reset clears your open positions and the coins in them are not refunded. We may also adjust balances to correct errors or prevent abuse.
How are payouts calculated?
Each outcome trades as shares. A share costs between 1 and 99 coins and is worth 100 coins if that outcome happens, or nothing if it doesn't — so your profit is the gap between what you paid and 100. You trade against other players on an order book, with no operator cut, and you can sell out before the close instead of waiting for the result.
What does the percentage on each outcome mean?
It's the share's price, shown as a probability — a price of 62 coins means the market puts the outcome at about 62%. Buyers and sellers set it on the order book, so it reflects what the crowd currently believes rather than a fixed bookmaker's line.
Who decides the outcome of a market?
Each market names, in its description, the exact source and criteria used to settle it. Once the real-world result is official, polyswiss resolves the market against that source and records the evidence on the market page, so you can always see how a call was decided.
What happens when a market closes?
Trading stops at the close time shown on the market — you can buy and sell freely until then, but nothing you do afterwards changes the result. Winning shares are redeemed for 100 coins each once the outcome is official, and your balance and stats update automatically.
Can a market be cancelled?
Yes, occasionally. If an outcome is genuinely ambiguous, or a market was created or resolved in error, we void it and refund what everyone paid in. Resolution decisions are otherwise final.
Do I have to accept ads or tracking to play?
No. The service is funded by advertising, but consent to advertising cookies is never a condition of signing up or playing. If you decline, you simply see non-personalised, contextual ads with no advertising cookies. You can review or change your choice at any time from the privacy page.
Who can play, and how many accounts can I have?
You register with a valid email address and verify it to use the core features. You may hold only one account, and the game is not directed at young children. See our Terms of Use for the full rules.
Didn't find your answer?
Read the full rundown of how polyswiss works, or send us your question directly.