diff --git a/prediction_market_agent_tooling/abis/debuggingcontract.abi.json b/prediction_market_agent_tooling/abis/debuggingcontract.abi.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5478b81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prediction_market_agent_tooling/abis/debuggingcontract.abi.json
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+[
+  {
+    "constant": false,
+    "inputs": [],
+    "name": "inc",
+    "outputs": [],
+    "payable": false,
+    "stateMutability": "nonpayable",
+    "type": "function"
+  },
+  {
+    "constant": true,
+    "inputs": [],
+    "name": "counter",
+    "outputs": [{ "name": "", "type": "uint256" }],
+    "payable": false,
+    "stateMutability": "view",
+    "type": "function"
+  },
+  {
+    "constant": true,
+    "inputs": [],
+    "name": "getNow",
+    "outputs": [{ "name": "", "type": "uint32" }],
+    "payable": false,
+    "stateMutability": "view",
+    "type": "function"
+  }
+]
diff --git a/prediction_market_agent_tooling/tools/contract.py b/prediction_market_agent_tooling/tools/contract.py
index 761985cf..eb3b51ee 100644
--- a/prediction_market_agent_tooling/tools/contract.py
+++ b/prediction_market_agent_tooling/tools/contract.py
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 import time
 import typing as t
 from contextlib import contextmanager
+from datetime import datetime
 
+import pytz
 from pydantic import BaseModel, field_validator
 from web3 import Web3
 
@@ -21,7 +23,11 @@
     GNOSIS_NETWORK_ID,
     GNOSIS_RPC_URL,
 )
-from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.utils import should_not_happen
+from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.utils import (
+    DatetimeWithTimezone,
+    add_utc_timezone_validator,
+    should_not_happen,
+)
 from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.web3_utils import (
     call_function_on_contract,
     send_function_on_contract_tx,
@@ -423,6 +429,48 @@ def get_asset_token_contract(
         return to_gnosis_chain_contract(super().get_asset_token_contract(web3=web3))
 
 
+class DebuggingContract(ContractOnGnosisChain):
+    # Contract ABI taken from https://gnosisscan.io/address/0x5Aa82E068aE6a6a1C26c42E5a59520a74Cdb8998#code.
+    abi: ABI = abi_field_validator(
+        os.path.join(
+            os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)),
+            "../abis/debuggingcontract.abi.json",
+        )
+    )
+    address: ChecksumAddress = Web3.to_checksum_address(
+        "0x5Aa82E068aE6a6a1C26c42E5a59520a74Cdb8998"
+    )
+
+    def getNow(
+        self,
+        web3: Web3 | None = None,
+    ) -> int:
+        now: int = self.call(
+            function_name="getNow",
+            web3=web3,
+        )
+        return now
+
+    def get_now(
+        self,
+        web3: Web3 | None = None,
+    ) -> DatetimeWithTimezone:
+        return add_utc_timezone_validator(
+            datetime.fromtimestamp(self.getNow(web3), tz=pytz.UTC)
+        )
+
+    def inc(
+        self,
+        api_keys: APIKeys,
+        web3: Web3 | None = None,
+    ) -> TxReceipt:
+        return self.send(
+            api_keys=api_keys,
+            function_name="inc",
+            web3=web3,
+        )
+
+
 def contract_implements_function(
     contract_address: ChecksumAddress,
     function_name: str,
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index f2cf1cdc..b7ed8589 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
 import os
 
+from web3 import Web3
+
+from prediction_market_agent_tooling.config import APIKeys
+from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.contract import DebuggingContract
+
 RUN_PAID_TESTS = os.environ.get("RUN_PAID_TESTS", "0") == "1"
+
+
+def mint_new_block(keys: APIKeys, web3: Web3) -> None:
+    """
+    Mints a new block on the web3's blockchain.
+    Useful for tests that debends on chain's timestamp, this will update it.
+    """
+    DebuggingContract().inc(keys, web3)
diff --git a/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_local_chain.py b/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_local_chain.py
index 9e842151..e6fd14e2 100644
--- a/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_local_chain.py
+++ b/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_local_chain.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import time
+
 from ape_test import TestAccount
 from eth_account import Account
 from numpy import isclose
@@ -10,11 +12,14 @@
     is_minimum_required_balance,
 )
 from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.balances import get_balances
+from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.contract import DebuggingContract
+from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.utils import utcnow
 from prediction_market_agent_tooling.tools.web3_utils import (
     send_xdai_to,
     wei_to_xdai,
     xdai_to_wei,
 )
+from tests.utils import mint_new_block
 
 
 def test_connect_local_chain(local_web3: Web3) -> None:
@@ -93,3 +98,37 @@ def test_fresh_account_has_less_than_minimum_required_balance(
     fresh_account_adr = Account.create().address
     account_adr = Web3.to_checksum_address(fresh_account_adr)
     assert not is_minimum_required_balance(account_adr, xdai_type(0.5), local_web3)
+
+
+def test_now(local_web3: Web3, test_keys: APIKeys) -> None:
+    # we need to mint a new block to update timestamp
+    mint_new_block(test_keys, local_web3)
+    allowed_difference = 15  # seconds
+    chain_timestamp = DebuggingContract().getNow(local_web3)
+    utc_timestamp = int(utcnow().timestamp())
+    assert (
+        abs(chain_timestamp - utc_timestamp) <= allowed_difference
+    ), f"chain_timestamp and utc_timestamp differ by more than {allowed_difference} seconds: {chain_timestamp=} {utc_timestamp=}"
+
+
+def test_now_failed(local_web3: Web3, test_keys: APIKeys) -> None:
+    # Sleep a little to let the local chain go out of sync without updating the block
+    time.sleep(5)
+    allowed_difference = 5  # seconds
+    chain_timestamp = DebuggingContract().getNow(local_web3)
+    utc_timestamp = int(utcnow().timestamp())
+    assert (
+        abs(chain_timestamp - utc_timestamp) >= allowed_difference
+    ), f"without minting a new block, timestamps should differ by more than {allowed_difference} seconds: {chain_timestamp=} {utc_timestamp=}"
+
+
+def test_now_datetime(local_web3: Web3, test_keys: APIKeys) -> None:
+    # we need to mint a new block to update timestamp
+    mint_new_block(test_keys, local_web3)
+    allowed_difference = 15  # seconds
+    chain_datetime = DebuggingContract().get_now(local_web3)
+    utc_datetime = utcnow()
+    actual_difference = (utc_datetime - chain_datetime).total_seconds()
+    assert (
+        actual_difference <= allowed_difference
+    ), f"chain_datetime and utc_datetime differ by more than {allowed_difference} seconds: {chain_datetime=} {utc_datetime=} {actual_difference=}"
diff --git a/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_omen.py b/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_omen.py
index b8719625..a7189959 100644
--- a/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_omen.py
+++ b/tests_integration_with_local_chain/markets/omen/test_omen.py
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ def test_place_bet_with_autodeposit(
 
     # Check that we have xdai funds, but no wxdai funds
     initial_balances = get_balances(address=test_keys.bet_from_address, web3=local_web3)
-    assert initial_balances.wxdai == xdai_type(0)
+    assert np.isclose(initial_balances.wxdai, xdai_type(0))
     assert initial_balances.xdai > xdai_type(0)
 
     # Try to place a bet with 90% of the xDai funds