The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that a group of Canadian finance players is seeking regulatory approval to build what would be the country's first investment dealer focused exclusively on prediction market trades. The Globe's Meera Raman writes that Verdx, led by former Vanguard Investments Canada chief executive officer Atul Tiwari, filed an application this week seeking registration with the Canadian Securities Administrators as an investment dealer and membership with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization. The proposed Verdx platform is the latest sign of growing Canadian interest in prediction markets, after moves by Interactive Brokers and Wealthsimple into the nascent industry. But Verdx is making a more concentrated bet, building a platform solely around event contracts, rather than offering it as one product within a broader business. Prediction markets, which have exploded in popularity in the United States, allow investors to trade event contracts, often outcomes of professional sports games. Prediction markets have generated significant controversy over whether the products amount to gambling. Mr. Tiwari estimates the Canadian prediction market could reach $50-billion annually.