Commodity Exchange ACT

Kalshi suffered a major legal blow after a federal appeals court in Nevada rejected its argument that state gaming regulators lack authority over its sports event contracts. The decision conflicts with another federal court outcome involving New Jersey, increasing the likelihood that the U.S. Supreme Court may eventually be asked to resolve the dispute.

New York has sued Kalshi, alleging the prediction-market platform offers sports and event wagers without a gaming license. The state is seeking to bar the company from operating what officials describe as an unlicensed gambling business, while pursuing restitution, damages and civil penalties.

A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking Minnesota’s prediction market ban from taking effect against Kalshi, Polymarket and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The court found the challengers are likely to succeed in arguing that federal commodities law preempts the state statute.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has ordered Kalshi not to reverse Michigan customer transactions tied to a state court order. The move deepens a broader clash between federal derivatives oversight and state efforts to treat certain prediction market contracts as illegal gambling.