A legal fight unfolding in Wisconsin over prediction market trading is now drawing in a fresh federal ruling from Arizona, as Kalshi presses its argument that federal regulators, not states or tribal governments, control the space.

In a filing dated Monday (April 13), Kalshi and an affiliate pointed to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to a recent Arizona decision they say strengthens their case. At the center of the dispute is whether federal law blocks local efforts to regulate trading on platforms known as designated contract markets.

The Arizona case involved the Commodity Futures Trading Commission securing a temporary restraining order that halted state-level enforcement actions against those federally regulated platforms. It follows a push by federal regulators to assert authority over prediction markets, as similar disputes continue to surface across the country.

Arizona ruling adds weight to Kalshi federal preemption argument against Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin

Kalshi told the Wisconsin court that the Arizona decision goes straight to the core legal question: whether the Commodity Exchange Act gives the CFTC exclusive control over trading on these markets.

Quoting directly from the filing, the defendants said the Arizona court issued an order “prohibiting any state enforcement efforts against CFTC-regulated designated contract markets (‘DCMs’) on the grounds that state gambling laws are preempted as applied to transactions on DCMs.”

They added that the development “directly bears on whether the Commodity Exchange Act’s grant of exclusive jurisdiction to the CFTC leaves any room for state or tribal regulation of trading on DCMs.”

Kalshi is now urging the Wisconsin judge to apply similar reasoning. The Ho-Chunk Nation has challenged the company’s contracts, arguing they resemble sports betting and fall under tribal authority as well as the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The tribe has also moved to block Kalshi from offering contracts while the lawsuit plays out.

Kalshi has pushed back by asking the court to dismiss what it calls an overly sweeping case. The company argues that geography should not dictate legality, maintaining that federally regulated markets operate nationwide and fall squarely under the CFTC’s jurisdiction.

Regulators and industry participants remain split on whether these event-based contracts belong under commodities law or should be treated as gambling.

Featured image: Kalshi / Ho-Chunk Nation

The post Arizona ruling enters Wisconsin Ho-Chunk Nation fight against Kalshi appeared first on ReadWrite.

Minnesota lawmakers are moving ahead with a proposal that would outlaw most prediction markets, pushing the issue further into the spotlight as similar debates unfold in other states.

A key Senate panel this week signed off on Senate File 4511, sending it along to another committee for continued review. The measure, brought forward by Sen. John Marty, DFL–Roseville, cleared the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee without opposition and now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.

The bill would make it a felony to run, support or promote platforms where people place wagers on how future events will play out, which includes not just operators but also those handling payments, setting odds or advertising the services.

What happens next for the Minnesota prediction markets felony bill

Earlier committees recommended the Minnesota bill move forward with changes before it reached the Commerce panel, where it again advanced—this time unanimously.

The next stop is the Senate Finance Committee, where lawmakers will dig into costs tied to enforcement and the potential impact on state agencies. If it clears that hurdle, the proposal would go before the full Senate. Approval there would send it to the House, where a matching bill would need to pass before reaching the governor’s desk.

Lawmakers cast a wide net in defining prediction markets. The proposal covers bets tied to sports, elections, government decisions, court cases, weather patterns and more. The broad language reflects a push to treat these platforms as a form of unlicensed gambling under Minnesota law, a position we previously reported on.

Supporters say the goal is to stop the spread of loosely regulated betting into areas that carry public consequences. Concerns have been raised about people speculating on elections or emergencies without clear oversight or safeguards.

Critics, including industry players and some legal and tech experts, argue the bill could overshoot and clash with federal rules. They also warn it may limit emerging financial tools built around forecasting and raise constitutional questions tied to free speech and interstate commerce.

Minnesota is not alone in wrestling with the issue. Tennessee lawmakers are advancing their own legislation focused on prediction markets, but with a narrower aim, as it targets manipulation, seeking felony penalties for those who attempt to rig or improperly influence outcomes on such platforms. 

As written, the Minnesota law would take effect August 1, 2026, applying to any offenses committed on or after that date.

Featured image: Canva

The post Minnesota advances controversial felony ban on prediction markets as scrutiny grows appeared first on ReadWrite.

Ohio regulators are ramping up pressure on prediction market platform Kalshi, proposing a $5 million penalty and accusing the company of running illegal sports gambling in the state.

In a letter dated April 14, 2026, the Ohio Casino Control Commission told Kalshi it has the “intent to impose a penalty or fine for operating or conducting unlicensed sports gaming in Ohio,” according to a document shared publicly by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The notice also gives Kalshi the option to request a hearing.

Yost wrote that the state views Kalshi’s event contracts as unlawful bets and suggested the company’s time operating in Ohio could be limited.

Kalshi has had an ongoing dispute with Ohio regulators amid fine

This latest move adds to a drawn-out legal fight between Kalshi and Ohio officials over how prediction markets should be regulated. State regulators have repeatedly argued that contracts tied to sports outcomes look and function like traditional sports betting. Because of that, they say, companies offering them need proper licensing under Ohio law. Officials have also warned other platforms with similar products that they could be violating the state’s gaming system.

Kalshi has pushed back, maintaining its contracts are federally regulated financial instruments overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not wagers controlled by state gambling authorities. The company has taken the issue to court, filing a federal lawsuit challenging Ohio’s stance.

So far, the legal battle has produced mixed results. A federal judge in Ohio refused Kalshi’s request to block enforcement, allowing the state to continue its actions while the case moves forward, giving regulators an early advantage.

Kalshi has since continued to fight, appealing parts of the case in an effort to keep operating in Ohio during the litigation. Meanwhile, the state has stayed aggressive, opposing those appeals and defending its authority in higher courts.

Multiple states are currently grappling with how to handle prediction markets, and the outcomes have been inconsistent. New Jersey has acted to restrict Kalshi, influenced in part by earlier enforcement efforts in Nevada.

At the same time, some court decisions elsewhere have supported Kalshi’s position. An appeals court ruling involving Arizona suggested federal law may override certain state restrictions, strengthening the company’s argument.

ReadWrite has reached out to the Ohio Casino Control Commission for comment.

Featured image: Kalshi / Canva

The post Ohio moves to fine Kalshi $5M over illegal sports betting appeared first on ReadWrite.

Oakland police moved in on what they say was an illegal gambling setup in East Oakland on April 9, shutting it down after building a case tied to repeated complaints and a pattern of violence.

According to an official Facebook post, officers served a search warrant in the 1400 block of 17th Avenue, working alongside federal and local partners. Investigators say the location had been on their radar for some time, citing a recent shooting along with ongoing concerns raised by neighbors and earlier violent incidents linked to the same address.

When officers entered the property, they detained 10 people. Three of them were arrested because they had outstanding felony warrants, according to police.

Authorities say the search turned up a mix of evidence they believe supports the illegal gambling case. Officers recovered narcotics, a firearm, cash, and equipment associated with gambling operations.

Police have not released the names of those arrested, and they have shared few details about the shooting that helped drive the investigation. They say the case is still active and developing.

Oakland Police illegal gambling raid part of a wider crackdown

Investigators say the operation reflects a general push to respond to community concerns and crack down on locations tied to recurring crime. In this case, police point to neighborhood complaints as a key factor that helped bring attention to the suspected activity.

The department is urging residents to keep reporting suspected illegal gambling or other dangerous activity, saying those tips can help officers step in before situations escalate further.

That enforcement effort comes as authorities pursue related cases tied to underground gambling in Oakland. In a separate case reported by ReadWrite, an alleged illegal casino operator in the city is now facing multiple felony charges.

Police say community reporting plays a critical role in identifying these sites and building cases against those involved.

The April 9 raid was part of a coordinated effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies, though officials have not said how long the investigation had been underway or whether more arrests are expected.

For now, detectives are continuing to review the evidence collected at the scene while they look into whether additional charges could follow. Authorities say the investigation remains open as they track down leads and work to determine the full scope of the suspected operation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Featured image: Oakland Police via Facebook

The post Oakland police raid suspected illegal gambling site, detaining ten people appeared first on ReadWrite.

BetMGM entered 2026 still making money, though its latest results point to a business that has lost some of last year’s momentum. First-quarter net revenue reached $696 million, up 6% from the same period a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA rose 11% to $25 million. The company remains profitable after a strong 2025, but the pace is clearly more modest now.

Sports betting is where the slowdown appears to stand out most. Online sports revenue rose to $203 million in the quarter, a 4% increase. That is far below the growth rates seen through 2025, when the segment posted gains of 68% in the first quarter, 56% in the second, and 36% in the third. iGaming continues to carry more of the business, with revenue up 9% to $481 million, though even that trails the 24% growth reported for the full year in 2025.

BetMGM Q1 2026 reports growth, but the mix has changed

The company pointed to “player friendly sports results” and heavier promotional activity as reasons for the softer sports performance. It also cited a deliberate shift toward tighter player management, which is starting to show in its user data.

Average monthly active users fell 9% from a year earlier to 975,000. The drop was sharper in online sports, where active users declined 16%. At the same time, betting activity per user and revenue per bettor both increased. The figures show a clear pattern: fewer users, but each one generating more value.

This has been building for some time. Through 2025, BetMGM focused more on improving returns from existing customers rather than chasing rapid user growth. Now that strategy is colliding with a softer revenue outlook.

The company lowered its 2026 revenue forecast to between $2.9 billion and $3.1 billion, down from the $3.1 billion to $3.2 billion range it gave after its full-year 2025 results. It kept its Adjusted EBITDA target of $300 million to $350 million, though it now expects results to land closer to the lower end.

The change in tone is notable given how often BetMGM raised expectations last year. It started 2025 with a revenue outlook of $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion, then lifted that figure multiple times. The company ultimately finished the year with $2.8 billion in revenue and $220 million in EBITDA.

Chief Executive Officer Adam Greenblatt said, “Although it has been a steady start to the year, BetMGM is delivering on our strategic plan, carrying forward the initiatives that drove our transformation in 2025.” The latest results line up with that description. The business is still steady, but the focus now is on holding profitability as growth becomes harder to sustain.

Featured image: BetMGM

The post BetMGM starts 2026 profitable but growth slows and outlook narrows slightly appeared first on ReadWrite.

Online sports betting is becoming a routine part of daily life across the United States, with participation continuing to climb even as unease about its effects grows. A new national survey released April 13 shows both trends moving in tandem.

Researchers from the Siena Research Institute and St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication report that 27% of Americans now hold an active online sportsbook account with platforms like DraftKings, Caesars, FanDuel, or BetMGM. This has steadily increased from 22% in 2025 and 19% the year before. Another 6% say they used to have an account, meaning roughly one in three Americans has tried online sports betting at some point.

Younger men remain the most active participants. Among men ages 18 to 49, 52% say they have an account. Exposure is also widespread, with about 61% of Americans saying they encounter sportsbook advertising at least somewhat often.

“The results show that online sports betting remains an active part of life for a significant portion of Americans,” said Don Levy, SRI’s Director. 

“Since we began asking respondents about online sports betting in 2024, there has been a steady rise in those who say they have an active account – from about one-in-five to now one-in-four – and the share of respondents who bet on these platforms has grown just as much – from seventeen percent of Americans in 2024 to twenty-two percent in 2026.”

US online sports betting habits hold steady as survey shows risks edge upward

Even as more people sign up, their betting patterns look familiar. Among account holders, 83% have placed at least one bet, and 22% of Americans overall say they currently wager on sports. Nearly half of account holders check odds daily, while about six in ten place bets at least once a week.

Many bettors juggle multiple platforms. Around 35% report using two sportsbooks, while 29% stick with one. Promotions continue to drive activity, with about 60% saying they’ve used offers like bonus bets or guaranteed-loss refunds.

At the same time, warning signs are becoming more common, as 60% of bettors say they have chased losses, up from 52% last year. Sixty-three percent report wagering $100 or more in a single day, and nearly one-third say someone has expressed concern about their habits. Feelings of regret are also widespread, with more than four in ten saying they’ve bet more than they should or felt ashamed after losing.

Wider industry reporting echoes the trend. Other recent analyses suggest Americans are gambling more overall, not just on sports but across casinos and digital platforms, with some surveys pointing to very high levels of engagement or exposure.

Public opinion reflects that tension. About half of Americans support nationwide legalization and see betting as entertainment, yet most also want tighter guardrails. Majorities oppose sportsbook ads during games and favor stronger federal oversight, with 67% calling for more aggressive regulation.

“Legal and accessible gambling is perhaps the defining issue facing the sports world in the 2020s. What our survey shows is that sports fans have a complicated relationship with sports gambling,” said Dr. Brian Moritz, Associate Professor and sports journalism master’s program Director at the Jandoli School. 

“It is undeniably popular, and becoming more so every year, and there’s wide support for legalized gambling. But the growing support for restrictions on sportsbooks’ advertising during live sporting events as well as support for restrictions on betting on college sports show a desire for some guardrails to be put in place around legal and accessible gambling.”

The survey also notes growing use of newer betting formats like prediction markets, with 15% of Americans saying they’ve tried them. Most respondents believe those platforms should face the same rules as traditional sportsbooks.

The poll surveyed 3,084 US residents online between February 16 and February 27, with a reported margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.

Featured image: Grok

The post Online sports betting grows rapidly as concerns about risks rise across the US, survey shows appeared first on ReadWrite.

A policy adviser is calling on the UK government to slow down its rollout of financial risk checks for gamblers, arguing ministers are acting before the full results are available.

Dr James Noyes, a senior fellow at the Social Market Foundation, has written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy asking for a pause until the Gambling Commission releases a complete evaluation of its pilot.

In a social media statement issued alongside his April 13 (Monday) letter, Noyes said he was “deeply concerned” by what has emerged so far, pointing to limited transparency and open questions about how well the system performs.

“I am reading increasing reports that the pilot scheme has involved inconsistent data, unclear outcomes and unnecessary friction,” he wrote, warning that moving ahead now could weaken trust and fail to protect those most at risk.

Questions over UK gambling risk checks pilot come as market keeps growing

The Commission has been trialling these checks to identify online gamblers who spend heavily and may be facing financial strain. Regulators have said the system is different from traditional affordability checks and is designed to be more precise.

Data published in May 2025 shows how widely the pilot has already been used. Around 1.7 million checks were carried out across roughly 860,000 accounts during one phase, using information from three credit reference agencies.

That same update said about 97% of checks were completed without asking customers for extra details. Only a small proportion of accounts would need further steps under the proposed thresholds.

The regulator has also acknowledged issues it is still working through. These include differences between credit data providers and the difficulty of assessing how serious a customer’s financial situation may be. The pilot has now moved into an analysis stage after its third phase of data sharing.

A spokesperson told ReadWrite: “We’re continuing to work on financial risk assessments with one of the key focuses being on removing friction for consumers. If introduced, consumers would not need to provide documents for the checks to be completed.

“As with any regulatory measure, we will be considering potential impacts for consumers and businesses before making a decision on financial risk assessments, including how they would work in practice if introduced.”

Separate disclosures show that financial vulnerability checks are already in place at certain spending levels, starting at £500 in net deposits over 30 days and later reduced to £150.

Estimates suggest the checks could affect a large share of users, with up to 25% of UK gamblers potentially facing enhanced reviews at certain deposit thresholds.

At the same time, the online gambling market continues to generate significant revenue. Figures show UK online gross gambling yield reached £1.36 billion in 2024, underlining the scale of the sector.

The Commission has said the pilot is focused on testing how credit data can be used in a targeted way and has ruled out requiring open banking or automatically blocking customers who decline to share more information.

Noyes said his earlier support depended on strong oversight and clear evidence that the checks work. He also pointed to unpublished findings, noting reports of a Gambling Commission survey of more than 12,000 people in which 77% opposed the checks.

“My support for affordability checks was done on the basis that there would be adequate oversight and evaluation of their efficacy,” he wrote.

He also pointed out concerns about horseracing, citing warnings from the British Horseracing Authority and hundreds of industry figures about potential long-term effects.

“When the world changes, public policy should be responsive to that change,” he wrote, adding that the current situation raises “serious questions” that should be addressed before further progress is made.

ReadWrite has reached out to Dr James Noyes for comment.

UPDATE: Comments from the Gambling Commission added on April 14, 2026.

Featured image: Grok

The post Advisor urges UK to pause gambling risk checks until pilot data is published appeared first on ReadWrite.

A derivatives exchange operator is now in federal court in Montana, pushing back against state regulators and widening a national dispute over prediction markets.

Kalshi filed its complaint Sunday (April 12) in the U.S. District Court, naming Attorney General Austin Knudsen and other officials. The company wants a judge to block what it sees as an imminent enforcement move and to clarify that its platform falls under federal oversight.

The dispute comes down to control over event contracts. These are financial products that let users trade on real-world outcomes, from economic data to elections. Kalshi says those trades belong under federal derivatives law, not state gambling statutes.

Kalshi sues Montana amid federal-state clash over regulation

Kalshi points to its status as a federally regulated exchange, arguing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has “exclusive jurisdiction” over its operations. In its view, that authority leaves no room for state enforcement.

Montana regulators disagree. In an April 6 cease-and-desist letter, the state’s Gambling Control Division said it had concluded Kalshi’s activities “constitute illegal gambling within the meaning of Montana law” and warned that failure to stop could lead to “legal action against” the company.

The warning reportedly stands in contrast to an earlier agreement. In April 2025, state officials said they would “not initiate any civil or criminal enforcement against Kalshi during the pendency” of related litigation elsewhere. Kalshi now says Montana is stepping away from that position while appeals continue in an Arizona case, where the company recently secured a partial court victory.

Similar disputes are unfolding in other states. Kalshi has filed a separate lawsuit in Iowa over the same issue, while a federal judge in New Jersey paused enforcement against prediction market platforms. Each case adds another piece to the wider question of how federal commodities law interacts with state gambling rules.

Kalshi says it reached out to Montana officials after receiving the latest letter but got no clear response. It argues that the warning, combined with that silence, signals enforcement could happen soon.

In its filing, the company cites recent appellate court language saying it is “reasonable” to conclude that federal law preempts state regulation of trading on federally approved exchanges. Allowing Montana to act, Kalshi argues, would lead to conflicting rules across states and disrupt how futures markets operate.

The company also points to the risk of immediate harm. It references prior court findings describing “economic and reputational harm, including loss of business and goodwill” when enforcement actions move forward without judicial review.

Montana officials have not yet responded in court filings, but their earlier letters suggest they view these contracts as illegal under state law, with potential civil and criminal penalties.

Featured image: Kalshi / Canva

The post Kalshi lawsuit in Montana sharpens dispute over prediction market rules appeared first on ReadWrite.

As more states move to block credit cards from gambling, the policy sounds straightforward. Cut off borrowed money, reduce harm. In practice, the results are mixed. The rules change how people pay, but they don’t always change why they gamble or how they manage their money.

Ashley Morgan, a debt and bankruptcy attorney in Virginia, sees the gaps up close. She questions whether limiting a single payment option can do much when people can shift funds in minutes.

“Not being able to use credit cards on gambling apps may help reduce credit card debt for a few people,” she told ReadWrite, “but many people will just use their credit cards for their other expenses.” In everyday life, that can mean using a debit card to place bets while quietly leaning on credit for rent, groceries, or utilities.

Morgan says some people go a step further. They take out personal loans or pull cash advances, turning credit into spendable cash before they ever open a betting app. “Once the debt is in cash form, it is easy to use those funds to gamble,” Morgan adds.

She also points to a lesser-discussed pressure point, i.e. taxes. Recent changes to federal rules mean gamblers can no longer fully offset winnings with losses, which can leave people owing more than they expect. “The tax issues with gambling are likely to keep getting worse,” she says. “Previously, you could zero out any winnings by your losses… but now winnings are only offset by up to 90%.” For frequent bettors, that can translate into taxes on money they didn’t actually keep, adding another layer of financial strain even as access to credit tightens.

Credit card bans create workarounds as gambling rules tighten

What Morgan describes shows how quickly behavior adjusts. When one door closes, another often opens, especially in a system where money moves instantly between accounts.

Restrictions still have an effect, just not always the one lawmakers expect. Instead of stopping gambling, they often change how people organize their finances around it.

Adding to the conversation, E.J. Simonsen, a business finance advisor and founder of EIDLexit, says those changes can still matter. Even small barriers can influence decisions in the moment.

“Restricting credit cards is one way to mitigate a particular risk of gambling with borrowed money,” he explains. He points to a simple difference. Paying with a debit card or bank transfer forces people to look at what they actually have.

That awareness can slow things down. “Their spending becomes better aligned with available cash, which thus adds a natural restraint.”

For some users, that pause is enough to rethink a bet. For others, it just shifts where the money comes from.

States set new limits on borrowing for bets

Lawmakers are starting to act on the idea that limiting access to borrowed funds can reduce the most damaging behavior.

Maine has already adopted a strict rule. Under House Bill 2080, bettors cannot use credit cards for sports wagering or online casino play. Operators must enforce the ban across mobile apps and physical locations.

Illinois is considering a similar move. House Bill 4149 would block credit card deposits and also stop cash advances at casino ATMs, closing a common path people use to get around restrictions. Even Ohio has announced equivalent measures.

These initiatives reflect a shared concern. Easy access to high-interest credit at the moment of betting can deepen losses quickly. Removing that option may not stop gambling, but it can limit how fast debt builds.

The industry has already begun to adjust. DraftKings and FanDuel have scaled back credit card deposits in several markets. BetMGM has taken similar steps in certain states.

Credit card payments carry risks for operators, including fraud and chargebacks. Disputed transactions can create headaches for companies and customers alike.

As a result, the funding mix is shifting. Debit cards, ACH transfers, and digital wallets now handle most deposits, nudging users toward spending money they already have access to, rather than money they owe.

Behavior shifts more than outcomes change

So do these bans actually reduce harm? The answer depends on what you measure.

If the goal is to eliminate problem gambling or erase debt tied to betting, the evidence suggests that’s unlikely. People who want to gamble often find another way to fund it.

If the goal is narrower, the picture looks different. Blocking credit cards at the point of play removes a fast, easy way to gamble with borrowed money, often at steep interest rates.

That can alter how decisions are made. A bettor who has to move money from a bank account or think about a balance may hesitate, even briefly. Sometimes that hesitation matters.

As Simonsen puts it, the goal is not to eliminate risk entirely, but to reintroduce limits into a fast-moving digital market: “When players are restricted to debit or bank-based methods, their spending becomes better aligned with available cash.”

Morgan keeps her focus on the bigger issue. As long as financial stress and gambling habits remain in place, she expects people to keep finding workarounds.

Featured image: Canva

The post Do credit card gambling bans reduce harm or shift behavior? Experts say there’s always a loophole appeared first on ReadWrite.

A new scheme aimed at protecting consumers in the US has opened up amid the fast-growing world of prediction markets. Kalshi has become the first platform to fully plug into a shared self-exclusion network called SelfExclude, a system designed to let users step away from trading across multiple platforms all at once. The tool is run by IC360, a global compliance technology and advisory platform, and more companies, including Polymarket, Robinhood, and ProphetX, are expected to connect to it.

Instead of forcing users to manage limits one account at a time, users can enroll once, and the restriction follows you everywhere that participates.

What is SelfExclude and how does prediction market self-exclusion work?

According to the FAQs, SelfExclude.io gives users a way to voluntarily block themselves from prediction market trading across a growing list of platforms. Rather than toggling settings on each individual app, people can sign up a single time and have that decision applied broadly.

The idea is to make it easier to take a break without friction. Someone who feels they need distance from trading can act quickly, without juggling multiple logins or remembering where they hold accounts, in order to support better financial habits by lowering the barrier to stepping away.

Behind the scenes, the system is attempting to focus on privacy. A user’s identity is verified first, then converted into encrypted and anonymized data. Participating platforms can check whether someone is on the exclusion list, but they never see the underlying personal information. That way, enforcement works without exposing sensitive details.

Why is Kalshi joining SelfExclude ‘a big deal’?

Kalshi’s participation stands out because it is the first federally regulated prediction market to adopt a shared exclusion system like this. 

Sara Slane, Head of Corporate Development at Kalshi, stated the importance of a unified approach. “This is a big deal,” she said. “It underscores the fundamental advantage of a federal framework: the ability to provide consistent, nationwide customer protections, rather than relying on a disjointed state-by-state system.”

In her view, the problem hasn’t been a lack of willingness from companies or regulators. Instead, it has been the structure of the system itself. “Having worked in the industry, I saw this firsthand. It wasn’t a lack of effort or intent from operators or regulators. The problem was structural. Conflicting state laws made it virtually impossible to implement consistent, effective protections,” Slane said.

This has reportedly shaped how safeguards are built (or not built) across the market.

How do you self-exclude from prediction markets?

For users who want to opt out, the process starts on the SelfExclude platform. From there, they go through an enrollment flow that confirms their identity. This requires standard personal details such as a legal name, address, date of birth, phone number, and a government-issued ID, helping ensure that only the account holder can trigger the restriction.

Once verified, users pick how long they want the exclusion to last. Available timeframes typically range from one month up to a year. After submission, the system processes the request and pushes it out to participating platforms, usually within about 24 hours.

During that period, users are generally blocked from opening new trades. Some platforms may still allow them to close out existing positions, but the core function i.e. placing new bets or trades is restricted.

Can you ban yourself from Kalshi?

Kalshi already offers its own built-in self-exclusion tools. Users can request to stop trading for a set period directly through the company’s website, API, or mobile app.

What changes with SelfExclude is the scope. Instead of the restriction applying only within Kalshi, it extends across multiple platforms at once. That wider reach is what makes the integration notable, especially for users who operate on more than one exchange.

How does SelfExclude protect your privacy and personal data?

Rather than sharing raw personal data, SelfExclude says it relies on a double-hashing process that transforms user information into encrypted values before anything is stored.

When platforms check the database, they run the same hashing method and receive a simple response: match or no match. No names, IDs, or contact details are ever exposed in that exchange.

Because of this structure, even the stored data cannot be reverse-engineered to reveal someone’s identity. All communication is encrypted, and the system is built specifically to avoid holding reconstructable personal information.

Why was cross-platform self-exclusion difficult before?

Efforts like this have historically run into issues regarding fragmented regulation, particularly in the United States. Different states enforce different rules, and those differences have made coordination difficult.

Slane pointed to how that played out in practice. “A clear example was self-exclusion: we were often prohibited from sharing self-exclusion customer lists across state lines, limiting our ability to safeguard individuals who needed it most. This is where regulatory fragmentation can lead to unintended consequences,” she said.

In many cases, that fragmentation shifted responsibility onto users themselves. “Instead of prioritizing the customer, stakeholders are forced to navigate a maze of inconsistent requirements. And who gets overlooked…the customer.”

What happens after your self-exclusion period ends?

When the selected exclusion period runs out, access is automatically restored. Participating platforms are notified, and normal account functionality returns without the user needing to take additional steps.

At any point during the exclusion, users can log in to check their status, see how much time remains, or choose to enroll again if they want a longer break.

One key rule is that the exclusion cannot be reversed early. Once a timeframe is chosen, it remains in place until it expires. The intention is to prevent spur-of-the-moment decisions from undoing what was meant to be a protective measure.

What’s next for SelfExclude and prediction market regulation?

With additional companies already in the pipeline, the network could increase quickly and become a standard layer of protection across the industry.

Slane sees this as part of a general move toward more consistent safeguards. “Supporting a federally regulated exchange doesn’t mean opposing state-regulated, house-backed sports betting. Both models can coexist,” she said. “The key difference is that a federal framework enables consistent, nationwide protections, ensuring that customers receive the same safeguards regardless of which state they are located.”

Featured image: SelfExclude.io

The post How do you self-exclude from prediction markets? Kalshi joins SelfExclude network appeared first on ReadWrite.

Abigail Spanberger has stepped into a growing fight over gambling policy in Virginia, rejecting a bill that would have pushed Fairfax County toward a public vote on a proposed casino.

The legislation, Senate Bill 756, focused on Tysons Corner and would have required the county’s Board of Supervisors to schedule a referendum, even though local leaders had already made clear they were not on board. By vetoing it, Spanberger sided with local officials and warned against letting the state override those decisions.

“Local governing boards should lead on proposed casino development, as has happened in every locality that now has a casino,” said Spanberger in a press release. “But in Fairfax County, the Board of Supervisors has explicitly opposed this legislation, and an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly members who represent Fairfax voted against it.”

Her move stops an effort by some state lawmakers to advance the project despite resistance at the county level. We previously reported how the proposal became a flashpoint in Richmond, with supporters arguing a referendum would let voters decide, while opponents said it ignored the standard process used elsewhere in Virginia.

Under current law, local governments typically take the lead by asking a court to authorize a referendum after the state designates them as eligible casino sites. This has been used in multiple cities since lawmakers opened the door to casino development in 2020.

Spanberger argues Fairfax casino issue centers on local control

Spanberger argued the bill would have broken from that pattern by forcing a vote where local leaders do not want one. She also objected to language that would have allowed state lawmakers to dictate the exact location of a casino within the county.

“In no other circumstance has the General Assembly prescribed specifications for a casino’s location,” said Spanberger. “This effectively precludes local input and eliminates local decisions. While this legislation specifically affects only Fairfax County, it would set a precedent to bring casino referendums to other localities where the local governing board may similarly oppose such an effort.”

Several cities have already approved casinos through referendums, while others have rejected them. At the same time, new projects are moving forward, including a recently launched effort in Petersburg where developers have broken ground on a major casino resort expected to bring jobs and tax revenue.

Spanberger used the moment to renew her call for a more unified regulatory system, saying the state still lacks a single independent authority to oversee the expanding industry. For now, the Fairfax proposal remains in limbo.

Featured image: Ezra Deutsch-Feldman via WikiCommons / CC BY-SA 4.0

The post Spanberger veto blocks Fairfax casino vote amid clash over local control appeared first on ReadWrite.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is stepping up scrutiny of how deeply betting companies are now woven into professional and college sports, warning that the trend could threaten both competitive fairness and fan safety.

In a fresh round of letters, he asked major organizations, including the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to spell out exactly how they work with sportsbooks and newer prediction market platforms.

His inquiry focuses on issues including game integrity, addiction, athlete safety, and compliance with state laws as gambling becomes more deeply embedded in sports.

Blumenthal shares concerns about betting companies’ influence on sports integrity

In a letter to MLB Commissioner Robert Dean Manfred Jr., Blumenthal sharply criticized the league’s ties to betting-related companies. “The MLB’s financial and operational partnership with Polymarket and FanDuel provides the league’s official blessing to gambling’s ugly takeover of sports and bolsters its marketing, wagering, and legitimacy,” he wrote.

He pointed to broader cultural and behavioral effects tied to the rise of sports betting. “Fans are taking notice of this and its detrimental effects: according to polling, 47% of men under 30, one of the most likely groups to wager, say legal sports betting is a bad thing for society,” Blumenthal added.

The senator also warned about the constant exposure fans face. “Potential branding rights and placement for gambling operators and gambling service providers make it impossible for fans to avoid constant reminders about gambling, which is especially dangerous for problem gamblers,” he wrote.

Blumenthal wants leagues to walk through how they evaluate partners and what systems they use to guard against misuse of inside information. He’s also asking how they monitor unusual betting patterns and respond to potential red flags.

“Access to league and teams’ data could also fuel wagers, including microbets and prop bets that encourage addiction and are prone to fraud,” he said.

His inquiry lands as gambling becomes increasingly embedded in sports culture following the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision that opened the door to widespread legalization. Since then, leagues have leaned into betting as both a revenue stream and a way to boost fan engagement.

Recent developments have only intensified those concerns. Major League Baseball has explored integrity-related arrangements involving federal regulators and platforms like Polymarket, while the NHL and individual teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks have moved toward partnerships tied to prediction market firms including Kalshi. This has raised new questions about oversight, as prediction markets operate under a different regulatory framework than traditional sportsbooks.

“The MLB should refrain from any partnerships and cut ties with gambling operators and gambling service providers that undermine the game, support strict state and federal oversight, and ensure that any contracts require strong safeguards and enforcement against addiction, fraud, and exploitation,” Blumenthal said in reaction to one such partnership.

Lawmakers are also reacting to warning signs. Separate concerns raised in Congress, including by Rep. Paul Tonko, have pointed to past scandals and the risk that betting expansion could outpace safeguards. Analysts have also flagged the possibility that loosely regulated prediction markets could create openings for match-fixing or manipulation if not carefully monitored.

Blumenthal is pressing leagues to address whether those newer platforms receive the same scrutiny as conventional betting partners and how risks are being managed.

Another key issue is money. The senator is asking for clearer accounting of how much revenue these partnerships generate and whether financial incentives could shape league decisions.

Leagues have yet to offer detailed public responses. Blumenthal has set deadlines for answers and signaled that additional steps could follow depending on what he learns.

Featured image: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

The post Blumenthal presses sports leagues over betting ties and new integrity concerns appeared first on ReadWrite.

A federal judge has stepped in to pause an attempt by Arizona to bring criminal enforcement against companies tied to federally regulated prediction markets, at least for now.

In a detailed written order, the court made clear it sees the federal government as likely to prevail. It states that the CFTC “has made a clear showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that Arizona’s gambling laws are preempted by the Commodity Exchange Act.” The judge also indicated that event-based contracts probably fall within the definition of swaps, placing them squarely under federal oversight.

This has driven a wider constitutional finding. The order says Arizona’s actions “violate[] the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution” because Congress gave the CFTC exclusive authority in this space.

Why a federal judge has ruled against Arizona in fight against prediction markets

The judge’s order notes that “the CFTC has clearly shown that it will suffer irreparable harm absent an injunction.” It adds that protecting federal supremacy aligns with the public interest. Based on that reasoning, the court granted a temporary restraining order blocking Arizona from enforcing its gambling laws against CFTC-regulated platforms through April 24.

The ruling lands in the middle of a widening legal fight. The CFTC, working alongside federal partners including the Department of Justice, has been pushing back on multiple states. Apart from Arizona, lawsuits targeting Connecticut and Illinois all aim to establish that federal law grants the agency “exclusive authority” over event contracts, a category that includes prediction markets tied to real-world outcomes.

At the same time, related litigation has continued to unfold in Arizona. In a separate but connected case, a judge recently allowed certain claims involving Kalshi to move forward after denying a preliminary injunction request, showing that not every aspect of the dispute is settled. Tribal interests have also entered the debate, with Arizona tribes filing arguments warning that expanded prediction markets could cut into gaming revenues and disrupt existing compacts.

The CFTC framed the latest ruling as a pushback against aggressive state tactics. “The CFTC appreciates the court’s careful consideration of these important legal questions and the court’s decision to preserve the status quo,” said CFTC Chairman Michael Selig in a press release. “Arizona’s decision to weaponize state criminal law against companies that comply with federal law sets a dangerous precedent, and the court’s order today sends a clear message that intimidation is not an acceptable tactic to circumvent federal law.”

Kalshi, one of the companies at the center of the conflict, also welcomed the decision. “This afternoon, the court granted the CFTC’s request to temporarily block Arizona’s attempt to rush a criminal prosecution of Kalshi, a federally licensed exchange,” Denauldt wrote.

He added, “We appreciate the CFTC asserting its exclusive jurisdiction over our exchange, and the court’s careful consideration of the issues.”

Denauldt also framed the ruling in constitutional terms, writing, “Under the U.S. Constitution, federal law is supreme. Today’s ruling is a step in the right direction.”

Featured image: CFTC via Grok / Canva

The post Federal judge halts Arizona action against prediction markets in dispute  appeared first on ReadWrite.

The story most people tell about tribal casinos is neat and convenient. That it is a modern industry, seized as an economic opportunity.

Robert J. Madden’s research points somewhere much older.

“We’re talking about a very deep cultural tradition,” he tells me, “probably one of the oldest continuous cultural practices in North America.”

Not decades old. Not centuries old. If his research is right, Native American gambling traditions stretch back 12,000 years, forming an unbroken line from Ice Age campsites to present-day casino floors. It lands at a moment when the legal structure governing tribal gaming is being tested in ways its authors never anticipated.

Tracing the origins of tribal gambling and Native American dice games

Madden, who is the author behind “Probability in the Pleistocene: Origins and Antiquity of Native American Dice, Games of Chance and Gambling” approached the problem with the instincts of a litigator. A former trial attorney turned archaeologist, evidence had to be consistent across time and strong enough to support inference without guesswork.

“You don’t have to make any huge leaps,” he says. “You can just kind of step, step, step… back into the past and follow it all the way back.”

Starting with well-documented historic Native dice, catalogued in detail by early ethnographers such as Stewart Culin, Madden created a kind of diagnostic checklist. If ancient artifacts matched those characteristics, they could reasonably be identified as dice used in games of chance. Applying that framework across the archaeological record, he identified hundreds of sites where the same forms appeared again and again, stretching further back in time than anyone had previously demonstrated.

The deeper he looked, the more the gaps disappeared. What had once seemed like isolated evidence began to look like continuity.

How the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act shapes modern tribal casinos

Modern tribal gaming rests on a framework that is comparatively recent. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), passed in 1988, created the structure that still governs casinos on tribal land. It was designed as a compromise between the competing interests of tribal sovereignty, state authority, and federal oversight, and it remains exactly that.

Congress set out clear goals that gaming should support “tribal economic development, self-sufficiency, and strong tribal governments,” while remaining regulated and protected from corruption.

At the same time, the law formalized how power is shared. Tribes retain the right to regulate certain forms of gaming on their lands, but large-scale casino operations require negotiated agreements with states and federal approval.

The result is a system built around jurisdiction and who controls what, where, and under which conditions. The age-old system has shaped an industry worth billions, but it is rooted in a definition of gaming that reflects the late 20th century, not deep history.

Ancient Native American gambling as a social gathering and cultural practice

Historical accounts of Native dice games describe something vivid and communal.

“It was a real raucous affair,” the University of Colorado PhD candidate says. “You’d have… people all around gathered, very loud… and all kinds of side bets going on.”

Players threw multiple dice at once, while referees announced results and scorekeepers tracked progress with counting sticks. Around them, spectators gathered in large numbers, betting on outcomes and engaging with one another. These were social environments, places where strangers became acquaintances and communities intersected.

“It brought people together that didn’t know each other well,” he says, creating opportunities to “trade, swap information, all kinds of things.”

Archaeologically, that social function leaves traces. The oldest dice often appear at sites long suspected to be gathering points, which were places where different groups converged, perhaps seasonally, to interact. The presence of gaming artifacts reinforces that interpretation, suggesting that games of chance were part of the mechanism that made those convocations work.

Prediction markets vs tribal gaming

The legal framework built in 1988 is now facing pressure from technologies that do not fit neatly inside it.

Prediction markets, such as Kalshi and Polymarket, allow users to trade on real-world outcomes while presenting themselves as financial exchanges. This has become the center of a legal dispute being waged across the country. If these platforms are treated as financial instruments rather than gambling, they may fall outside IGRA altogether.

Tribal leaders argue that this would sidestep the system of tribal-state compacts and undermine regulatory authority on tribal lands. When we spoke to tribal gaming law professors Steven Light and Kathryn Rand this week, they warned that such platforms could strip “governmental authority from both states and tribes,” shifting control away from the framework established by the IGRA.

“These so-called prediction markets are an attempt to bypass tribal authority and recast gambling as a financial product. We will not allow that. We will stand united to defend tribal sovereignty and the integrity of Indian gaming,” IGA Chairman David Z. Bean said at last week’s Indian Gaming Association Tradeshow and Convention.

The argument is already moving through the courts. Companies like Kalshi have claimed that geography should not determine jurisdiction in the same way it does under IGRA, challenging the idea that betting activity must be tied to physical location. This runs directly against the territorial logic of the law, which is built around gaming “on Indian lands.”

At the same time, partnerships between prediction platforms and major sports leagues are accelerating the issue, pushing these questions into mainstream markets rather than niche corners of finance.

How Native American dice are changing the narrative around tribal gambling

For years, Native American groups have sometimes been portrayed as late entrants to a pre-existing gambling economy or “Johnny-come-latelies,” as Madden puts it, stepping into a profitable sector once legal pathways opened.

His research inverts this idea, suggesting that Native gaming traditions long predate the systems they are now regulated within. Dice games tied to chance and wagering appear long before European contact and continue through the historic period without interruption. That continuity makes it difficult to describe tribal gaming as a recent development.

“Is this just the same as… opening up an auto repair shop?” Madden asks. “Or is this something more… a deeply rooted cultural activity?”

Modern regulatory frameworks tend to treat tribal casinos primarily as economic enterprises. Acknowledging them as expressions of a long-standing cultural practice could fundamentally change how those frameworks are interpreted, or at least how they are debated.

When history enters the courtroom

Legal disputes over tribal gaming already draw on history, particularly when questions of sovereignty and continuity arise.

“I do know that courts… have considered the extent to which this is a long-standing practice,” Madden says.

Historical records from the period of European contact, combined with archaeological evidence from the last few thousand years, provided a partial picture. Madden’s work pushes that timeline back dramatically, giving a snapshot of a much deeper foundation for those claims.

IGRA itself recognizes tribal authority over certain forms of gaming, especially traditional and social games, while imposing layered regulation on others, which assumes a distinction between cultural practice and commercial activity.

“I think it’s possible” the findings could influence future cases, he says, though he is careful not to overstate the point. At the very least, it “puts it in a much deeper… light” than ever before.

Beyond law and policy, the research appears to carry a quieter but equally significant implication. It suggests that ancient Native Americans were engaging with the underlying principles of probability and randomness far earlier than is often acknowledged.

For Madden, that recognition matters.

“Native American… intellectual accomplishments don’t typically go together in the same sentence,” he says. “I hope this is something that Native American people can take pride in.”

A living system under pressure

Modern tribal casinos generate significant revenue and fund services in many communities, with the National Indian Gaming Commission suggesting Gross Gaming Revenues (GGR) of $43.9 billion for fiscal year 2024. They operate within a regulatory system built in 1988, one that continues to evolve under legal and technological pressure.

Prediction markets, digital platforms, and changing interpretations of jurisdiction are testing that system from multiple angles. Meanwhile, the historical record behind the activity itself is becoming clearer and more difficult to ignore.

If gaming is not just an industry but the latest expression of a cultural practice that has endured for 12,000 years, then the conversation around it becomes harder to simplify. The dice, in a sense, never stopped rolling.

Featured image: Robert J. Madden

The post The original casino? How 12,000-year-old Native American dice could upend modern tribal gambling debates appeared first on ReadWrite.

A former Philadelphia probation officer is facing a mix of jail time and home confinement after admitting he spent years running an illegal sports betting operation, federal prosecutors said Wednesday (April 8).

Joseph M. Moore, 43, was sentenced to one day in custody followed by a year of home detention. On top of that, he’ll serve three years of supervised release, give up $200,000, and pay a $7,200 fine. U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney handed down the sentence in federal court.

Authorities say Moore’s gambling business operated for roughly eight years, beginning in early 2017 and continuing until February 2025. During that time, prosecutors said, he took bets on sporting events and organized so-called block pools and other group betting schemes.

Moore admitted guilt in October 2025, pleading to a single charge of running an illegal gambling business. His co-defendant, James P. DeAngelo, 45, is also from Philadelphia and entered a guilty plea at the same time. DeAngelo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2026.

How former probation officer ran illegal sports gambling business in Philadelphia

Court records describe a setup where bettors had several ways to place wagers through what prosecutors called the Moore Gambling Business. People could bet on individual games or buy into sports pools, some with entry fees as high as $500. The pools sometimes paid out thousands to winners.

According to prosecutors, Moore collected roughly 10% of winnings from successful bettors as a fee. For standard wagers, his cut was built directly into the odds or cost of placing the bet.

Investigators say DeAngelo, a Philadelphia police officer, played a major role in keeping the operation running. Prosecutors said he worked closely with Moore, brought in another associate, and helped connect the business to an overseas gambling website, which allowed users to open accounts and place bets through Moore’s network for a fee.

DeAngelo also earned a percentage of bettors’ losses, sometimes as much as 20%, according to prosecutors. In some situations, he took bets himself. In others, authorities say he steered customers toward Moore’s wider operation.

Over the years, the business handled wagers from hundreds of people and took in hundreds of thousands of dollars, prosecutors said. The FBI investigated the case, which is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen.

Federal prosecutors have stated that this case is separate from other recent illegal gambling prosecutions in Pennsylvania. In those matters, amusement and novelty game companies pleaded guilty to running unlawful gambling operations tied to gaming machines.

Featured image: Canva

The post Former Philadelphia probation officer sentenced for running illegal sports gambling business appeared first on ReadWrite.

Harrah’s Oklahoma is now open in Chandler, making this Caesars Entertainment’s first managed casino in the state and adding a new gaming destination through its partnership with the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma.

The doors officially opened Thursday (April 9) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, first bets and a full day of celebrations. Set along Route 66, the property introduces a Las Vegas-style gaming experience to central Oklahoma. Inside, guests will find roughly 1,000 slot machines, a dozen table games and a dedicated high-limit area. Several dining and bar options are already operating, while plans are in place to add a hotel and expand entertainment offerings later.

Leaders from both Caesars and the Iowa Tribe described the launch as more than just a casino opening, pointing to its broader impact on the local economy.

“This opening has been years in the making, and we’re so excited to be in the home stretch before opening our doors and sharing the Harrah’s experience with the community,” said Joe Scibetta, SVP and general manager of Harrah’s Oklahoma. 

“Harrah’s Oklahoma delivers the full Caesars Entertainment experience while introducing a new destination designed to feel modern, vibrant and fun.” 

The project also reflects a deeper partnership aimed at long-term growth for the tribe and nearby communities.

“This partnership represents an exciting new chapter for the Iowa Tribe,” said Jake Keyes, Chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma. “Harrah’s Oklahoma will create employment and economic growth opportunities, support local businesses and strengthen our ability to reinvest in education, infrastructure and essential services for our people. We are proud to welcome this destination to our land and to the broader Oklahoma community.”

The economic impact of Harrah’s Oklahoma in Chandler

Hiring is already underway, with more than 300 jobs expected across gaming, hospitality, food service, security and administrative roles. Additional positions are likely as the property continues to scale up operations in the coming months.

Company officials say the casino is positioned to attract visitors from across Oklahoma and neighboring states, giving Chandler a new tourism draw tied into Caesars’ national network. Through the Caesars Rewards program, guests will be able to earn and redeem points in Oklahoma, as well as at destinations in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New Orleans.

The opening comes at a pivotal moment for Caesars, as the company continues expanding its regional footprint, despite working through recent financial pressures, including reported fourth-quarter losses tied to operational costs and restructuring efforts. 

For the Iowa Tribe, however, revenue generated from the casino is expected to support public services, infrastructure and long-term community initiatives.

Featured image: Caesars Entertainment

The post Harrah’s Oklahoma opens as Caesars enters state with new casino appeared first on ReadWrite.

A Nashville man has taken BetMGM to court in Tennessee, arguing the sportsbook let him continue gambling for years after he had formally asked to be blocked. The case, now in Davidson County Chancery Court, claims that the company failed to honor its own self-exclusion rules.

Dilvar Tayip says he signed up for Tennessee’s voluntary self-exclusion list on June 16, 2021. On that same day, he also enrolled in BetMGM’s separate exclusion program. According to his amended petition, both were supposed to keep him from betting until June 16, 2026.

Court filings describe Tayip as an experienced sports bettor who had previously seen financial success. Still, he decided in 2021 to step away from gambling entirely for five years. His lawsuit says the state removed him from its list earlier than expected, in May 2023, but insists that change should not have affected BetMGM’s independent restriction.

He points directly to the company’s own policy, which states, “Self-exclusion is irrevocable and binding for the entire selected duration. Once a customer selects a self-exclusion period, it cannot be reversed or shortened under any circumstances. Removal from a state list does not alter or override the operator’s separate exclusion obligations.”

What the BetMGM lawsuit in Tennessee claims happened next

Tayip argues that despite that language, BetMGM allowed him to resume wagering shortly after his removal from the state list. He says he continued placing bets from May 2023 through roughly June 2025, with total wins and losses nearing $300,000 during that stretch.

The filing also leans on another part of BetMGM’s policy, which says any wagers placed by a self-excluded user should be voided and refunded. Instead, Tayip claims those bets were processed normally.

As part of the complaint, his attorneys included screenshots they say show wagers placed while the exclusion remained active. One example shows a March 23, 2025 parlay with a $1,000 stake and a possible payout of $7,454.55. Additional records point to bets from May 6, 2025, including wagers of $1,454 and $750.

The lawsuit accuses BetMGM of a wide range of violations, including breaches of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act and the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. It also alleges negligence, fraud, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract. The filing states BetMGM “knew, or should have known,” that Tayip was vulnerable after formally requesting to be excluded through 2026. It further claims the company encouraged him to return to betting and, in earlier filings tied to a federal case record, advised him on how to leave the state exclusion list early.

Tayip is asking for repayment of the money he wagered during that period, along with additional damages, attorney fees, and other relief.

Other reports have pointed to alleged underage marketing emails tied to BetMGM in Massachusetts and a separate class action lawsuit against DraftKings accusing the company of exploiting users with gambling addictions.

Meanwhile, a March 2026 court order shows Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles split Tayip’s original filing, directing that administrative appeals and separate claims move forward independently under different case numbers.

ReadWrite has reached out to BetMGM for comment.

Featured image: BetMGM / Canva

The post Tennessee man sues BetMGM over alleged self-exclusion betting failures appeared first on ReadWrite.

Minnesota lawmakers from both parties are moving ahead with a bill that would outlaw most forms of betting on prediction markets, adding steep criminal penalties for companies and individuals tied to the fast-growing space.

Originally filed on March 17, Senate Bill 4511 targets platforms where people stake money on future outcomes. Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, is leading the push, and the proposal has already cleared its first committee stop this month with more hearings on the way.

The bill describes a “prediction market” as “a system that allows consumers to place a wager on the future outcome of a specified event that is not determined or affected by the performance of the parties to the contract.”

The list spans sports and esports contests, elections, court rulings, and weather, along with major public developments such as “war, state or national emergencies, natural or human-made disasters, mass shootings, acts of terrorism, or public health crises.”

Sen. Marty framed the bill as a clarification of existing law, writing on Bluesky: “Prediction markets are used for illegal gambling in MN. I’m pleased my legislation, SF 4511, to clarify that this is illegal, passed the Senate Judiciary Comm. with strong bipartisan support last week!”

What the Minnesota prediction market bill would do

The proposal would make it a felony to operate or support a prediction market in Minnesota. Anyone who “create[s] a prediction market” or “operate[s], manage[s], or make[s] available a platform or system that allows consumers to make wagers” could face criminal charges.

The measure also reaches into nearly every layer of the industry, banning activities like setting odds, handling funds, listing events, supplying settlement data, or promoting these platforms through advertising.

At the same time, lawmakers preserve existing carveouts. The bill reiterates that certain activities “are not bets,” including the state lottery, licensed charitable gambling, pari-mutuel horse racing wagers, and some informal social betting.

Regulators would also gain stronger enforcement tools. The state’s director of alcohol and gambling enforcement could issue cease-and-desist orders against suspected violations. If recipients ignore those orders or continue processing payments tied to banned activity, they could face felony charges.

The North Star State’s effort comes as other states and federal regulators grapple with similar questions. Tennessee lawmakers recently advanced a bill targeting manipulation in prediction markets with felony penalties, while Kentucky is weighing gambling changes that include rules affecting sports-related prediction platforms and raising the betting age to 21.

At the federal level, legal fights involving the Commodity Futures Trading Commission could eventually reach the Supreme Court.

The Minnesota bill, backed by four Democrats and one Republican, would take effect Aug. 1, 2026, if approved, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.

Featured image: Canva

The post Minnesota lawmakers push felony ban on prediction market betting platforms appeared first on ReadWrite.

Tennessee lawmakers are pushing ahead with legislation that would make it a felony to try to sway the outcome of events tied to prediction market conduct when money is on the line.

The state Senate signed off on Senate Bill 1992 on Thursday (April 9), backing the proposal 28-1 after first adopting an amendment earlier in the day. The measure mirrors House Bill 2079 and now moves forward as part of a wider effort to regulate emerging online trading platforms built around future events.

The bill creates a new criminal charge aimed at people who attempt to influence outcomes while financially invested in them through prediction market contracts.

New criminal offense targets prediction market conduct in Tennessee

Under the proposal, someone would break the law if they take steps to affect the result of an event while they, or someone working with them, holds a position in a related prediction market. The key issue is financial benefit, whether direct or indirect.

The bill states that a person violates the law by taking such action “while the person or another is a party to a contract with a prediction-market by which the person will benefit, directly or indirectly, from the occurrence of the outcome.”

If convicted, the offense would be treated as a Class E felony in Tennessee.

Lawmakers also lay out a general definition of prediction markets, describing them as “a platform on which individuals trade contracts based on the outcome of unknown future events.” This leaves the law open to covering everything from political outcomes to sports and other speculative markets.

The push comes as the Volunteer State is already locked in legal disputes with several prediction market operators. The state previously issued cease-and-desist letters to companies including Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com, arguing their offerings violated state law.

It has faced resistance in court. A federal judge recently blocked Tennessee from enforcing restrictions against Kalshi’s sports-related contracts, and the company also secured a temporary restraining order against the state’s actions. The rulings have added uncertainty around how far Tennessee can go in policing these platforms.

Even so, the new legislation takes a different angle by focusing on individual behavior rather than platform legality. By placing the offense within Title 39, which covers property-related crimes, lawmakers are framing manipulation tied to financial gain as a form of economic wrongdoing.

If it ultimately becomes law, the measure would take effect July 1, 2026.

Featured image: Kenneth C. Zirkel via WikiCommons / CC BY-SA 4.0

The post Tennessee advances felony bill targeting prediction market manipulation amid legal fights appeared first on ReadWrite.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signed a new law that could reshape how sports betting works across the state, especially for tribal nations looking to expand into mobile wagering.

The measure, Assembly Bill 601, became law on Thursday (April 9) and sets up a framework that allows bets placed on phones anywhere in Wisconsin to be treated as legal, as long as those wagers are routed through servers located on tribal land. The activity must still operate under existing tribal-state gaming compacts, which have governed casino gaming for decades.

Evers framed the change as a potential economic boost for tribes that have not yet been able to fully participate in mobile betting. “This bill means a broader collection of Tribal Nations in Wisconsin could reap the benefits of increased gaming revenues,” Evers wrote. He added that mobile sports wagering presents “an opportunity to help level the playing field to ensure every Tribal Nation in Wisconsin can benefit from the increased revenues.”

The legislation builds on earlier efforts in the state Assembly to expand tribal access to mobile betting, where lawmakers advanced proposals aimed at modernizing Wisconsin’s approach to online wagering while keeping control tied to tribal sovereignty.

Evers shares concerns about equity and implementation of tribal mobile betting bill in Wisconsin

Even as he approved the bill, Evers made clear he is watching closely how it unfolds. He warned that simply legalizing broader access is not enough if the structure ends up favoring a handful of tribes over others.

“This legislation is the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one. The real work begins today,” he wrote. “What I will not accept is a plan that fractures this opportunity into unequal pieces, allowing some Tribes to reap great benefits while leaving only crumbs for others.”

State officials and tribal leaders have been discussing how a statewide mobile system might work in practice. Some proposals include shared platforms that would allow multiple tribes to participate more evenly, rather than competing individually in a fragmented market.

“A joint venture—with each Tribe contributing, and each Tribe benefiting in equal shares—is gaining traction in these discussions, and I strongly support pursuing this or a similar model,” Evers wrote.

The governor also pointed to wider social impacts tied to gaming revenue. He said additional funds could help support mental health services and strengthen efforts to address the opioid crisis, issues that many tribal communities continue to face.

At the same time, he stated that financial gains should not overshadow core values. “It is further my expectation that we look beyond mere dollar signs and economics and insist these decisions also be guided by respect, humility, compassion, and solidarity,” he said.

The debate over online sports betting regulation in Wisconsin is still evolving, with questions remaining about oversight, revenue sharing, and long-term market structure.

Evers added a reminder of what’s at stake. “I am signing Act 24 7 because my obligation as governor is always to respect the sovereignty of Tribal Nations in Wisconsin,” he wrote. He added a final warning: “Wisconsin cannot afford to continue to leave any Tribal Nation behind.”

Featured image: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

The post Gov. Evers signs bill expanding tribal mobile sports betting across Wisconsin appeared first on ReadWrite.