Security & Settlement Mechanism
How GameMarket protects your funds and ensures fair settlement
Settlement Process
After a match ends, the market creator submits the result and deposits a bond. The result does not take effect immediately — it enters a 24-hour challenge window. If no one challenges, anyone can finalize the settlement and the creator gets their bond back. If challenged, the market enters dispute resolution.
- Match ends
- Creator submits result + deposits bond
- 24-hour challenge window opens
- No challenge → finalize → winners claim payouts
- Challenged → dispute resolution
Bond Mechanism
Both the settlement proposer and the challenger must deposit a bond in USDC. This ensures neither party can submit false results without real financial risk.
- Correct result → bond returned in full
- Wrong result → bond forfeited to treasury
- Both wrong → both bonds forfeited
Challenge Mechanism
During the 24-hour challenge window, anyone can challenge the proposed result by submitting a different outcome and depositing their own bond. This triggers the dispute process.
- Who can challenge: any wallet address
- How: select a different outcome and deposit the bond amount
- Window: 24 hours from settlement submission
Dispute Arbitration
When a settlement is challenged, the market enters Disputed state. The protocol admin reviews the evidence and selects the correct outcome. The losing party forfeits their bond.
If the admin does not act within 7 days, anyone can trigger a default resolution — the original proposer's result is accepted and their bond returned.
Timeout Protection
If no one submits a settlement within 96 hours after the event start time, any user can cancel the market. All bets are fully refunded — no one loses money.
- 96 hours after event start, if market is still in Closed state
- Market cancelled → all bettors can claim full refunds
Fund Safety
All funds are held by the smart contract on Arbitrum. The creator cannot withdraw funds while there are unredeemed payouts or unrefunded bets.
- Winners can claim payouts at any time within 180 days of settlement.
- 180-day sweep: after 180 days, the creator can sweep unclaimed payouts. Winners should claim promptly.