Utah Judge Upholds State Anti‑Gambling Laws Against Prediction Market Kalshi

U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled that Utah can enforce its strict anti‑gambling statutes on prediction‑market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. The decision rejects Kalshi's request to block the state's restrictions, allowing the state’s ban on proposition betting in sports to remain in effect.

Utah Attorney General Derek Brown said the state will enforce the law while exploring further options. Kalshi announced it will appeal, maintaining that prediction markets fall under federal jurisdiction and should be regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which has defended the industry in court. Courts in several other states have issued mixed rulings on similar lawsuits. The Trump administration has expressed support for prediction markets, and the president’s eldest son serves as an adviser to both Kalshi and Polymarket and invests in the latter.