[throwaway1967]

> I really don't understand why I can't be allowed to speculate/gamble on geopolitical events.

That would get people interested in geopolitical events. At least, more interested than the establishment would like them to be.

There'd be books on geopolitical spread betting, how to become informed, how reading unpopular economics blogs can actually help your understanding, and so on.

Lots of truth would come out if this were allowed. I'm just hypothesizing, feel free to disagree!