War Bets: DeepState's Combat Map Illegally Hijacked for Online Gambling

War Bets: DeepState's Combat Map Illegally Hijacked for Online Gambling

The intricate and vital work of the Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState UA has been unceremoniously co-opted for a truly unsavory purpose: to facilitate online gambling on the ongoing conflict. DeepState UA has issued a strong public statement, unequivocally distancing themselves from any involvement with bookmakers who have integrated their highly respected combat map into betting platforms.

DeepState Denounces Unauthorized Integration

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), DeepState UA expressed their outrage and concern. "DeepStateMap has NOT given permission for integration with bookmakers," the statement emphatically declared. The project, renowned for its meticulously compiled interactive online map of the Ukraine war, stressed that they have no affiliation whatsoever with the betting service's "initiative." Their map, DeepStateMap.Live, is a product of rigorous analysis of open-source intelligence, including satellite imagery, to depict the current frontlines, troop movements, and the general ebb and flow of hostilities. The unauthorized use of their intellectual property is not just a violation of their rights but a deeply disrespectful act in the face of the war's gravity.

The Mechanics of the Infringement

DeepState UA suspects that the offending betting service, identified by DOU as Pentagon Pizza Watch, gained access to their data either through a publicly available API intended for humanitarian or military purposes, or via less sophisticated data scraping methods. This act of attempting to profit from their labor is not an isolated incident, the project noted, having prompted them to implement stricter API controls and individual client keys. The fallout from such infringements means they are struggling to keep up with legitimate requests for access. DeepState UA is actively seeking assistance from intellectual property protection specialists to address this issue and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Pentagon Pizza Watch and Polymarket's Role

Pentagon Pizza Watch, described as an online project focused on real-time visualization and analysis of war events, operates on the Polyglobe platform. This platform is reportedly used by traders on Polymarket, a prediction market where users can place bets on various outcomes, including those related to the war's progression. An earlier announcement from Pentagon Pizza Watch boasted about integrating DeepState's map "directly onto the globe, live and synced with @Polymarket." The system was advertised as displaying control zones, shifting frontlines, unit movements, and even drawing "precise action zones for each betting market." This integration, they claimed, provided traders with an unparalleled view of the battlefield for their wagering activities.

Apologies and Removal of Integration

Following the public outcry and DeepState UA's official statement, Pentagon Pizza Watch has since issued an apology and announced the immediate removal of the disputed integration. They attributed their actions to a "mistake," stating they "erroneously assumed a public endpoint meant it was intended for open use." They expressed respect for DeepState's work and pledged to refrain from using their data without explicit permission going forward. While this resolves the immediate issue of integration, the underlying problem of intellectual property theft and the ethical quandaries of betting on a brutal conflict remain significant concerns.