Washington Judge Blocks Kalshi Sports Event Contracts

After ruling that event contracts likely violated the state's gambling law, a judge in Washington has blocked Kalshi from offering them in the state, per Reuters. 

Judge John McHale of King County Superior Court issued his decision on Monday and granted the state's motion for a preliminary injunction. 

In his decision, Judge McHale said that the state showed "a ​likelihood of actual and substantial injury to Washington consumers ​from illegal gambling activities" should no injunction be issued. Additionally, he mentioned that any potential harm to Kalshi was outweighed by the harm it could cause to consumers. 

With this ruling, Washington joins Nevada, Michigan, and Massachusetts in winning court orders against Kalshi. 

Also, in New York, a judge there rejected Kalshi's bid to block enforcement of state gambling law. In response, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said they have jurisdiction, not individual states. 

Prediction Markets Remain at the Center of Legal Disputes

Kalshi Faces Mounting Legal Challenges

Reuters also points out that, per data tracking outlet Dune Analytics, more than $19 billion was traded on the 2026 World Cup at Kalshi and Polymarket. 

We'll see how this decision in Washington unfolds and how it impacts other legal battles across the country.