Last updated: 20 October 2026 Which states are in court with Kalshi, Polymarket and Crypto.com? We pulled every federal docket since 2024 that names a prediction-market exchange in the case name and sorted them by who sued whom. All claims are allegations.
115 federal cases since 2024. CourtListener lists 115 federal court dockets naming Kalshi, Polymarket’s US exchange (QCX), Crypto.com’s derivatives exchange or Robinhood Derivatives as a party in prediction-market disputes, 79 of them filed in 2026.
The fight is mostly with the states. 46 cases were brought by the companies against state gaming regulators or attorneys general, and 23 by states or cities against the companies. District-court cases of either kind have been filed in 21 states.
The core question is who regulates sports contracts. The companies say their contracts are swaps traded on CFTC-regulated exchanges, so federal law overrides state gambling law. States say they are sports bets that need a state licence. Several appeals courts now have the question, including the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th and 10th Circuits.
Consumer suits are growing. 38 private suits have been filed, many by “gambling recovery” companies using state laws that let people recover gambling losses. All of these are allegations; none of the claims listed here has been decided against the companies unless a court says so.
Prediction-market cases by company and type
| Company | Company v. state officials | State or city v. company | Tribe v. company | Private / consumer suit | Trademark | Company v. federal regulator | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalshi | 25 | 14 | 5 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 80 |
| Polymarket (QCX / Blockratize) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Crypto.com (NADEX / Foris DAX) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Robinhood Derivatives | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| All | 46 | 23 | 5 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 115 |
Counts are federal dockets with the company in the case name, filed from 1 January 2024 to 20 October 2026. An appeal gets its own docket, so one dispute can appear more than once. 23 cases were filed from July 2026 onward.
Why Kalshi and Polymarket are fighting the states
Kalshi, Polymarket’s US exchange and Crypto.com’s North American Derivatives Exchange are designated contract markets, the same kind of federally regulated exchange as CME. In 2025 they began offering contracts on the outcome of sports games. Officials in Nevada, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and other states have taken the position that these are sports bets offered without a state licence.
The companies typically respond by suing state officials in federal court, asking for a ruling that the Commodity Exchange Act pre-empts state gambling law. States have also filed their own suits, often in state court, which the companies then move to federal court. That is why the list includes many “notice of removal” cases. Native American tribes with gaming compacts have sued as well.
The CFTC has its own rule proposals open on prediction markets: Prediction Markets; Public Interest Determinations (published 12 June 2026, comments closed 27 July) and Data Reporting Requirements for Certain Event Contracts (published 1 July 2026, comments closed 31 July). Our CFTC rulemaking tracker follows them.
Cases between the companies and states, cities or tribes
Every docket below is a public court record. The case name shows who sued whom. Claims in these cases are allegations, and a filing does not mean any party broke the law.
| Filed | Case | Court | Docket | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-16 | QCX LLC v. Wilson | Ohio | 2:26-cv-01502 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-10-16 | North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. v. Hanaway | Missouri | 4:26-cv-00969 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-09-24 | QCX LLC v. James | New York | 1:26-cv-08345 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-09-24 | James v. QCX LLC | New York | 1:26-cv-08338 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-09-21 | Kalshi Inc. v. Ho-Chunk Nation | 7th Cir. (appeal) | 26-8020 | Tribe v. company |
| 2026-09-17 | KalshiEX, LLC v. Brenna Bird | 8th Cir. (appeal) | 26-2874 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-08-26 | State of Connecticut v. KalshiEX LLC | Connecticut | 3:26-cv-01382 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-08-17 | City of Baltimore v. QCX LLC | Maryland | 1:26-cv-03253 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-08-17 | City of Baltimore, ex. rel. Ebony Thompson v. QCX LLC | Maryland | 1:26-cv-03252 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-08-14 | City of Baltimore v. Kalshiex LLC | Maryland | 1:26-cv-03217 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-08-12 | KalshiEX LLC v. Cafferelli | 2nd Cir. (appeal) | 26-2239 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-08-05 | KalshiEx v. Cox | 10th Cir. (appeal) | 26-4100 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-07-31 | People of the State of New York, by Letitia James, Attorney General of the State of New Yo | New York | 1:26-cv-06550 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-07-27 | Dana Nessel v. KalshiEX LLC | 6th Cir. (appeal) | 26-1639 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-07-22 | North American Derivatives Exchange Inc v. Brown | Washington | 2:26-cv-02579 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-07-08 | KalshiEX LLC v. Williams | 2nd Cir. (appeal) | 26-1835 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-30 | QCX LLC v. Torrez | New Mexico | 1:26-cv-02100 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-25 | QCX, LLC v. Dana Nessel | 6th Cir. (appeal) | 26-1552 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-23 | KalshiEX LLC v. Raoul | Illinois | 1:26-cv-07363 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-23 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Dana Nessel | 6th Cir. (appeal) | 26-1542 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-19 | Commonwealth of Kentucky v. KalshiEX LLC | Kentucky | 3:26-cv-00048 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-06-18 | Commonwealth of Kentucky v. QCX LLC | Kentucky | 3:26-cv-00047 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-06-12 | North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. v. James | New York | 1:26-cv-04980 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-06-08 | State of New Mexico v. Kalshi, Inc. | New Mexico | 6:26-cv-01857 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-06-03 | QCX LLC v. Ellison | Minnesota | 0:26-cv-02841 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-05-27 | KalshiEX LLC v. Ellison | Minnesota | 0:26-cv-02778 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-05-22 | The State of Rhode Island v. KalshiEX LLC | Rhode Island | 1:26-cv-00333 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-05-21 | KalshiEx LLC v. Mark Furcolo | Rhode Island | 1:26-cv-00327 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-05-14 | State of Washington v. KalshiEX, LLC | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 26-3106 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-05-12 | Mescalero Apache Tribe v. Kalshi, Inc. | New Mexico | 1:26-cv-01517 | Tribe v. company |
| 2026-05-11 | KalshiEX, LLC, et al. v. Johnson, et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 26-2978 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-04-24 | State of Wisconsin v. Kalshi, Inc. | Wisconsin | 3:26-cv-00378 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-04-24 | State of Wisconsin v. QCX, LLC | Wisconsin | 3:26-cv-00375 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-04-24 | State of Wisconsin v. Foris Dax Markets, Inc. | Wisconsin | 3:26-cv-00381 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-04-12 | KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen | Montana | 6:26-cv-00028 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-30 | Robinhood Derivatives LLC v. Griffin | Washington | 3:26-cv-05311 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-27 | State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC | Washington | 2:26-cv-01062 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-03-23 | KalshiEX LLC v. William Orgel | 6th Cir. (appeal) | 26-5235 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-23 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Campbell | 1st Cir. (appeal) | 26-1257 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-12 | KalshiEX LLC v. Johnson | Arizona | 2:26-cv-01715 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-11 | KalshiEX LLC v. Matthew Schuler | 6th Cir. (appeal) | 26-3196 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-11 | KalshiEX LLC v. Bird | Iowa | 4:26-cv-00109 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-06 | State of Nevada v. Blockratize, Inc., et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 26-1343 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-03-05 | State of Nevada v. KalshiEX, LLC | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 26-1304 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-03-05 | Nessel v. Kalshiex, LLC | Michigan | 1:26-cv-00731 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-03-04 | QCX, LLC v. Nessel | Michigan | 1:26-cv-00710 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-03-04 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Nessel | Michigan | 1:26-cv-00730 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-02-23 | KalshiEx LLC v. Cox | Utah | 2:26-cv-00151 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-02-17 | State of Nevada v. KalshiEX,LLC | Nevada | 2:26-cv-00406 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-02-09 | QCX LLC v. Campbell | Massachusetts | 1:26-cv-10651 | Company v. state officials |
| 2026-02-05 | State of Nevada ex rel Nevada Gaming Control Board v. Blockratize | Nevada | 3:26-cv-00089 | State or city v. company |
| 2026-01-09 | KalshiEX LLC v. Orgel | Tennessee | 3:26-cv-00034 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-12-12 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Dreitzer, et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 25-7831 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-12-03 | KalshiEX LLC v. Cafferelli | Connecticut | 3:25-cv-02016 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-11-28 | Blue Lake Rancheria, et al. v. Kalshi, Inc., et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 25-7504 | Tribe v. company |
| 2025-11-28 | KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad, et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 25-7516 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-11-14 | North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. v. State of Nevada, et al. | 9th Cir. (appeal) | 25-7187 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-10-26 | KalshiEX LLC v. Williams | New York | 1:25-cv-08846 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-10-07 | Kalshiex LLC v. Schuler | Ohio | 2:25-cv-01165 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-09-16 | Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. KalshiEX LLC | Massachusetts | 1:25-cv-12595 | State or city v. company |
| 2025-09-15 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Campbell | Massachusetts | 1:25-cv-12578 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-09-08 | The State Of Illinois, Ex Rel. Mark Lavery v. North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. d/ | Illinois | 1:25-cv-10815 | State or city v. company |
| 2025-08-20 | Ho-Chunk Nation v. Kalshi Inc. | Wisconsin | 3:25-cv-00698 | Tribe v. company |
| 2025-08-19 | ROBINHOOD DERIVATIVES, LLC v. FLAHERTY | New Jersey | 1:25-cv-14723 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-08-19 | Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Dreitzer | Nevada | 2:25-cv-01541 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-08-06 | Kalshiex LLC v. John Martin | 4th Cir. (appeal) | 25-1892 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-07-22 | Blue Lake Rancheria v. KALSHI INC. | California | 3:25-cv-06162 | Tribe v. company |
| 2025-06-03 | North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. v. The State of Nevada on relation of the Nevada | Nevada | 2:25-cv-00978 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-05-15 | Kalshiex LLC v. Mary Jo Flaherty | 3rd Cir. (appeal) | 25-1922 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-04-21 | Kalshiex LLC v. Martin | Maryland | 1:25-cv-01283 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-04-21 | North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. v. Martin | Maryland | 1:25-cv-01285 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-03-28 | KALSHIEX, LLC v. Hendrick | Nevada | 2:25-cv-00572 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-03-28 | KALSHIEX, LLC v. FLAHERTY | New Jersey | 1:25-cv-02152 | Company v. state officials |
| 2025-03-28 | Kalshiex, LLC v. Hendrick | Nevada | 2:25-cv-00575 | Company v. state officials |
What this means for traders
If you trade event contracts, a court ruling in your state could change what you can trade there. For lawsuits involving prop trading firms rather than prediction markets, see our prop firm lawsuits tracker. For the money the same companies spend in Washington, see who lobbies on trading and prediction markets, and for new exchanges seeking CFTC approval, see the new US futures exchanges tracker.
Sources
- CourtListener RECAP docket search API, Free Law Project, retrieved 20 October 2026 (PACER docket data).
- CFTC, Prediction Markets; Public Interest Determinations, Federal Register 2026-11854, 12 June 2026.
- CFTC, Data Reporting Requirements for Certain Event Contracts, Federal Register 2026-13239, 1 July 2026.
Method
We searched CourtListener federal dockets filed since 1 January 2024 with Kalshi or KalshiEX, Polymarket, Blockratize or QCX, North American Derivatives Exchange, Foris DAX or Crypto.com, or Robinhood Derivatives in the case name, then removed duplicates and placeholder dockets.
We dropped Crypto.com cases unrelated to prediction markets, such as patent suits, an SEC suit about crypto assets, a bankruptcy claim and a forfeiture. We sorted the rest by the case name: a company suing a state official, a state or city suing a company, a tribe suing, a private person or company suing, or a trademark case.
Caveats
CourtListener relies on PACER data, so some dockets may be missing or late. State-court cases are not included unless they were moved to federal court. Searches by case name miss cases where these companies appear only as later-added parties.
Classification by case name is approximate. One dispute can produce a district case, a removal case and an appeal. We don’t report outcomes, which change quickly; follow the docket link for the current status.
How to cite this
Prop Data Lab, “Prediction Market Lawsuits Tracker, 2024-2026”, updated 20 October 2026, https://propdatalab.com/prediction-market-lawsuits-tracker-kalshi-polymarket-states/
The table and the CSV are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: copy, chart or republish them, commercial use included, as long as you link back to this page. Data: CourtListener (Free Law Project) federal dockets.
Common questions
How many lawsuits does Kalshi face?
CourtListener lists 80 federal dockets with Kalshi in the case name filed from 2024 to 20 October 2026, including suits Kalshi filed against state officials, suits by states and tribes, and private suits. Claims in them are allegations.
Why are states suing Kalshi and Polymarket?
States argue that contracts on sports outcomes are sports bets that need a state gambling licence. The companies argue they are federally regulated swaps traded on CFTC-designated exchanges, so state law does not apply.
Is Polymarket legal in the US?
Polymarket's US exchange, QCX LLC, is a CFTC-designated contract market. Several states dispute whether its sports contracts can be offered there, and those cases are ongoing.
Does this affect prop firms?
Not directly. Futures prop firms generally do not offer event contracts, but the cases test how far CFTC rules override state law.