Is Kalshi legal in your state? The 50-state tracker
Kalshi is registered federally with the CFTC and argues that lets it operate nationwide. A growing number of states disagree, and courts are split. This page tracks where each state stands — from hard court injunctions to active lawsuits to no reported action — and links to our detailed explainers as we publish them. It is updated as orders, deadlines and new suits are reported.
Where states have acted
The three tiers
Barred / restricted — a court order, enforced cease-and-desist or state ban limits Kalshi's sports contracts to people located in the state.
Active challenge — a lawsuit, criminal charge or regulator action is live, but no order blocks the platform yet.
No action reported — we have found no public state enforcement action; the platform operates under its federal registration. This is not an endorsement, and it can change.
State-by-state status
| State | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Alaska | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Arizona | State blocked | Criminal case permanently enjoined May 2026; Kalshi available. |
| Arkansas | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| California | No action reported | No court order; regulators watching. |
| Colorado | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Connecticut | State action | First state to act: DCP cease-and-desist orders Dec 3, 2025. CFTC sued Connecticut April 2, 2026; case pending. Kalshi still available. |
| Delaware | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Florida | No action reported | No enforcement action. Gov. DeSantis has questioned whether sports contracts cut into the Seminole Tribe’s compact exclusivity; HB 189 filed. |
| Georgia | No action reported | No enforcement action. No legal sportsbook; 2026 legalisation bill failed in the House. |
| Hawaii | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Idaho | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Illinois | Sports blocked | Sports event contracts unavailable — the Gaming Board treated them as unlicensed wagering. SB 3019 adds licensing plus the first per-contract event tax (eff. July 1, 2026). Kalshi and the CFTC have both sued. |
| Indiana | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Iowa | Litigation | Kalshi sued to block state regulation. |
| Kansas | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Kentucky | State lawsuit | AG Coleman sued Kalshi, Polymarket and VGW (Jun 17, 2026). |
| Louisiana | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Maine | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Maryland | Litigation | Kalshi lost at district court. Fourth Circuit heard argument May 7, 2026; decision pending. Maryland agreed in writing to forgo enforcement until the appeal resolves, so contracts remain available. |
| Massachusetts | Injunction | Preliminary injunction; SJC appeal pending. |
| Michigan | Sports blocked | Judge Aquilina ruled sports event contracts are illegal sports betting (June 29, 2026). Geofence required by August 12, 2026 or $500,000 per day. |
| Minnesota | Ban enjoined | Full statutory ban blocked by federal injunction before Aug 1, 2026. |
| Mississippi | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Missouri | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Montana | Sports restricted | Sports event contracts reported unavailable. |
| Nebraska | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Nevada | Sports blocked | Settlement with the Gaming Control Board: third-party geofence blocking sports, election and entertainment contracts from August 12, 2026, or $120,000 per day. |
| New Hampshire | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| New Jersey | State enjoined | Kalshi available; Third Circuit affirmed injunction 2-1 on Apr 6, 2026. |
| New Mexico | Regulator action | Regulator pressure; no court order. |
| New York | State lawsuit | AG James sued Jul 31, 2026 seeking $36B; no injunction yet. |
| North Carolina | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| North Dakota | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Ohio | Fine + C&D | $5M fine and cease-and-desist; Kalshi injunction denied (Mar 2026). |
| Oklahoma | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Oregon | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Pennsylvania | No action reported | No enforcement action. PGCB told the CFTC sports contracts are sports wagering; HB 2711 would regulate rather than ban. |
| Rhode Island | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| South Carolina | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| South Dakota | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Tennessee | State enjoined | C&D Jan 10, 2026; Kalshi won a preliminary injunction Feb 19. Sixth Circuit argued Jul 30, 2026, undecided. |
| Texas | No action reported | No enforcement action. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick ordered a Senate interim study of prediction-market “gambling loopholes” in March 2026; no regular session until 2027. |
| Utah | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Vermont | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Virginia | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Washington | Injunction | Injunction effective Aug 5; geofence by Aug 26, 2026. |
| West Virginia | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
| Wisconsin | State enforcing | Judge denied CFTC injunction; state may enforce. |
| Wyoming | No action reported | No state enforcement action reported. |
How to read this — and how we source it
Statuses reflect our current read of public court filings and reporting, not legal advice. A "no action reported" mark means we have not found a state enforcement action — not that a regulator has blessed the platform. Where a court has acted, we link our detailed explainer with the order, penalties and deadlines. Our sourcing and correction rules are in our editorial standards; if you have a primary document we've missed, email editorial@betg8.com.
The federal fight in one paragraph
Kalshi and the CFTC argue the Commodity Exchange Act gives the federal regulator exclusive authority over event contracts, preempting state gambling law. States argue gambling regulation is theirs. Courts have split, but recent rulings — including a Wisconsin judge denying the CFTC a temporary injunction — have leaned toward letting states enforce. Expect the question to reach appellate courts before it is settled.
Deep dives
Detailed explainers with timelines, penalties and sources: Washington, Michigan, Nevada, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Kentucky, Ohio. More states are added weekly. Texas Florida Pennsylvania Illinois Connecticut Maryland Georgia
FAQ
- Is Kalshi legal in the US?
- Federally registered with the CFTC, but restricted by court order in four states and challenged in several more.
- Which states have blocked it?
- Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada and Washington, plus Minnesota's ban and Arizona's criminal charges.
- How often is this updated?
- As orders, deadlines and lawsuits are reported, with primary-source citations.