Availability · California
Is Kalshi legal in California, and which prediction markets are?
Yes. California has no legal sports betting and has taken no enforcement action against prediction markets, though its Attorney General backs other states in court. The Ninth Circuit, which binds California’s federal courts, has sided with Nevada, and on 4 November 2026 a federal court barred Kalshi’s sports contracts on the lands of the tribes that sued it.
Of the 57 platforms we review, 14 are open in California, 4 with restrictions and 26 not at all; for 13 the terms do not say. Sports betting in California: not legal (Penal Code 337a) (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov).
Not legal advice. Eligibility usually follows where you are when you trade, and a platform can refuse an individual account. Checked 9 November 2026.
What can you trade on Kalshi in California?
Kalshi lists event contracts on politics, sports, crypto, economics, entertainment, science and more (its own API lists 14 categories).
Our records show Kalshi open in California. KalshiEX is a CFTC-designated contract market and its Member Agreement names no US state as restricted. State court orders block some contract categories in Nevada, Washington and Michigan; elsewhere its contracts are available. Kalshi is in litigation with about 20 states, so this can change quickly.
9 entries in California’s record below involve Kalshi; the latest is dated 6 November 2026.
How to sign up for Kalshi in California
- Open an account on kalshi.com or in its iOS or Android app.
- Verify your identity before you trade: your full legal name, date of birth, a residential address (no PO boxes or commercial addresses) and a live photo of a driver’s licence or passport. Kalshi may also ask for proof of address, employment information or source of funds.
- Expect a location check: regulated apps confirm which state you are in when you trade, not only where you live.
- Deposit at least $10 ($1,000 by wire). Bank transfers (ACH) carry no Kalshi fee; debit-card deposits carry a 2% processing fee.
- On each trade, takers pay 0.07 × contracts × price × (1 − price), about $1.75 per 100 contracts at 50¢; makers usually pay nothing.
The full picture is in our Kalshi review, with costs on typical trades in the fees guide.
Is Kalshi sports betting in California?
Sports betting in California: not legal (Penal Code 337a).
Kalshi is not a sportsbook. It is an exchange the CFTC has designated as a contract market (since 3 November 2020), where you trade event contracts against other traders, and federally those contracts are regulated as derivatives.
California’s regulators or courts have acted against Kalshi, so its sports contracts may be limited there; the dated record below shows what applies.
What California has done 11
multistate amicus brief (Second Circuit, No. 26-1835)Kalshi
Attorneys General of Ohio, Nevada, 35 other states, D.C. and the Northern Mariana Islands. Brief supporting New York's Gaming Commission in Kalshi's appeal from the denial of a preliminary injunction against New York's cease-and-desist, arguing federal commodities law does not displace state gambling law.
preliminary injunctionKalshi
US District Court, N.D. Cal. (Judge Corley), Blue Lake Rancheria et al. v. Kalshi, No. 3:25-cv-06162. On remand, the court barred Kalshi from offering any sports contracts on the plaintiff tribes' Indian lands. The order covers those tribal lands only, not California as a whole.
multistate amicus brief (Seventh Circuit, Nos. 26-2636, 26-2675, 26-2696)Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com Prediction Markets
Attorneys General of Ohio, Nevada, 36 other states, D.C. and the Northern Mariana Islands. Brief supporting Wisconsin in the CFTC's appeal from the denial of a preliminary injunction against Wisconsin's gambling suits, arguing the Commodity Exchange Act does not clearly displace state power over gambling.
multistate amicus brief (Tenth Circuit, No. 26-4100)Kalshi
Attorneys General of Ohio, Nevada, 35 other states, D.C. and the Northern Mariana Islands. Brief supporting Utah in Kalshi's appeal from the Utah judgment, arguing Kalshi's preemption theory would leave sports betting largely unregulated and that the CFTC's new reading deserves no deference.
multistate amicus brief (US Supreme Court, No. 26-299)Kalshi
Attorneys General of Ohio, 38 other states and D.C.. Brief supporting New Jersey's petition for Supreme Court review of the Third Circuit's ruling for Kalshi, arguing courts are divided over whether the Commodity Exchange Act preempts state sports-gambling laws.
tribal lawsuit / court ruling (IGRA)Kalshi
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Blue Lake Rancheria; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians v. Kalshi). Reversed the N.D. Cal. denial of a preliminary injunction: the tribes are likely to succeed on IGRA claims that Kalshi's sports contracts entered from tribal land are unauthorized class III gaming; CEA exclusivity does not displace IGRA. Lanham Act claim rejected.
court ruling (binding circuit precedent in CA)Kalshi
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. KalshiEX v. Assad (No. 25-7516): affirmed dissolution of Kalshi's injunction against Nevada; sports event contracts likely not 'swaps', so the CEA likely does not preempt state gaming law. Not a California case, but binds federal courts in California.
multistate amicus brief (Sixth Circuit, KalshiEx LLC v. Schuler)Kalshi
California AG Rob Bonta (in 37-AG coalition). California AG Rob Bonta joined a 37-AG amicus brief backing Ohio's right to enforce its gambling laws against Kalshi's sports contracts. The California AG release lists the co-signing states.
legislation
California Assembly (AB 1840, Asm. Sanchez). Bill amending the Political Reform Act regarding prediction market contracts (Gov. Code 86205, new 87451). Both committee hearings were canceled at the author's request.
executive order (N-4-26)
Governor Gavin Newsom. Bars all gubernatorial appointees from using non-public information to profit, or help others profit, from prediction markets. Governs officials' conduct, not operators.
multistate amicus brief (Ninth Circuit, Nos. 25-7187, 25-7516, 25-7831)Crypto.com Prediction Markets, Kalshi
Attorneys General of Ohio, New Jersey, 37 other states and D.C. (signatories include California AG Rob Bonta). California AG Rob Bonta signed the multistate amicus brief supporting Nevada regulators against Crypto.com (CDNA) and Kalshi, arguing the CEA does not preempt state sports-betting law.
Every state’s actions on one dated timeline: the prediction market regulation tracker.
Prediction market apps you can use in California 10
KalshiEX is a CFTC-designated contract market and its Member Agreement names no US state as restricted. State court orders block some contract categories in Nevada, Washington and Michigan; elsewhere its contracts are available. Kalshi is in litigation with about 20 states, so this can change quickly.
Help centre: “currently available in all U.S. states”, though some event contracts may be unavailable in some states (not named). App Store: “Available in all 50 US states”. New York has separate funding and portfolio articles.
“Novig is available nationwide except Arizona, Nevada, Michigan and Ohio” (Novig’s state page, updated 4 November 2026); its help centre still lists only Arizona, Nevada and Michigan. Eligibility is based on physical location when you trade, and users must be 21 or older.
DraftKings' own availability page (updated 2026-07-22) lists 48 states for Predictions, plus DC and US territories. Access depends on physical location and excludes tribal land. Sports markets vary by state; the breakdown is shown only as an image that could not be read. The official availability page and Predictions Terms returned 403.
FanDuel Predicts is available in all 50 states and DC. Users must be 18+ and verify their identity. It is not available on or near tribal land.
Prediction Trading (and Sports Event Trading) is a CFTC-regulated feature of the Crypto.com App, offered through Crypto.com | Derivatives North America. The help centre says it is available in the US only.
Underdog's California page: "We have Predictions, Pick’em and Drafts available"; residents must be 18+.
QCX LLC publishes no list of eligible or excluded states. A Nevada court granted a preliminary injunction against QCX LLC d/b/a Polymarket US on 29 May 2026 (Nevada Gaming Control Board). Missouri's Attorney General has sent a cease-and-desist over sports contracts, and New York has announced a lawsuit; neither state is marked closed because the operator has not said it geoblocks them.
The international polymarket.com site is closed to US residents: no deposits and no trades. The help centre lists the US as blocked and the API docs list it as close-only. US residents are sent to the separate Polymarket US app, run by QCX LLC (a CFTC DCM). Polymarket US state-level eligibility was not verified because its ToS page loads its text client-side.
ProphetX says it is “available nationwide” but publishes no excluded-state list; its help centre says access “is restricted from certain locations and IP addresses”. Connecticut reportedly ordered it to stop offering sports contracts to residents (September 2026); the order could not be read on the regulator’s site.
Available 14
KalshiEX is a CFTC-designated contract market and its Member Agreement names no US state as restricted. State court orders block some contract categories in Nevada, Washington and Michigan; elsewhere its contracts are available. Kalshi is in litigation with about 20 states, so this can change quickly.
Help centre: “currently available in all U.S. states”, though some event contracts may be unavailable in some states (not named). App Store: “Available in all 50 US states”. New York has separate funding and portfolio articles.
“Novig is available nationwide except Arizona, Nevada, Michigan and Ohio” (Novig’s state page, updated 4 November 2026); its help centre still lists only Arizona, Nevada and Michigan. Eligibility is based on physical location when you trade, and users must be 21 or older.
DraftKings' own availability page (updated 2026-07-22) lists 48 states for Predictions, plus DC and US territories. Access depends on physical location and excludes tribal land. Sports markets vary by state; the breakdown is shown only as an image that could not be read. The official availability page and Predictions Terms returned 403.
FanDuel Predicts is available in all 50 states and DC. Users must be 18+ and verify their identity. It is not available on or near tribal land.
Clients of Interactive Brokers LLC aged 21+ are eligible for event/forecast contracts; ForecastEx contracts on US election results are limited to eligible US residents.
Prediction Trading (and Sports Event Trading) is a CFTC-regulated feature of the Crypto.com App, offered through Crypto.com | Derivatives North America. The help centre says it is available in the US only.
Underdog's California page: "We have Predictions, Pick’em and Drafts available"; residents must be 18+.
Not on Alpha Arcade’s list of restricted jurisdictions. Absence from the list does not by itself establish that an individual may use the platform.
The Terms and Conditions limit participation to people aged 18 or older who are U.S. Persons. They name no US state as excluded. PredictIt runs under CFTC no-action relief.
Play-money mana trading is open to users 13+ (minors need a guardian). Outside the listed states, US residents aged 18+ can also enter prize drawings.
Not on Delphi’s list of restricted jurisdictions. Absence from the list does not by itself establish that an individual may use the platform.
Listed both in the homepage banner ("Onyx Predictions Now Available in CA, NJ, CO, LA, IN, WV, ID, ME, AL") and on the /predictions/ state map.
Not on Rain’s list of restricted jurisdictions. Absence from the list does not by itself establish that an individual may use the platform.
Available with restrictions 4
QCX LLC publishes no list of eligible or excluded states. A Nevada court granted a preliminary injunction against QCX LLC d/b/a Polymarket US on 29 May 2026 (Nevada Gaming Control Board). Missouri's Attorney General has sent a cease-and-desist over sports contracts, and New York has announced a lawsuit; neither state is marked closed because the operator has not said it geoblocks them.
The international polymarket.com site is closed to US residents: no deposits and no trades. The help centre lists the US as blocked and the API docs list it as close-only. US residents are sent to the separate Polymarket US app, run by QCX LLC (a CFTC DCM). Polymarket US state-level eligibility was not verified because its ToS page loads its text client-side.
ProphetX says it is “available nationwide” but publishes no excluded-state list; its help centre says access “is restricted from certain locations and IP addresses”. Connecticut reportedly ordered it to stop offering sports contracts to residents (September 2026); the order could not be read on the regulator’s site.
Listed in the Terms (updated 24 Jan 2025) among countries whose residents may not use Real-Money Services. Play-money (Ooms) markets stay open, and the app tells users from Restricted Jurisdictions they can still bet play money.
Not available 26
General Terms: users must not reside in, be citizens of or be incorporated in the USA; using a VPN to get round this is prohibited.
United States named in the Restricted Jurisdictions list; trading not permitted. Terms of Use (no date shown), Restricted Jurisdictions clause.
USA named as a restricted jurisdiction; trading not permitted, content features only. Terms of Service last updated November 18, 2025.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Pascal’s terms.
Contracts and services are not offered to US Persons. Terms of Use (no date shown).
United States of America is a Prohibited Territory; trading in Supported Contracts not permitted. Terms of Use updated January 13, 2026, section 2 Prohibited Territories.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in MagicMarkets’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Meridian Predict’s terms.
Platform is not available for trading to users from the USA. Terms of Service last updated September 15, 2026, section 1 Eligibility.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in SX Bet’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in PRED’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Overtime’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Ratio’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in PredictEX’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Hermes Trade’s terms.
Terms (updated 15 Jun 2026) s.1.6 treats US residents, US-located persons and US entities as Restricted Persons barred from the whole interface, including HIP-4 outcome markets.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Prophet Prediction Market’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Azuro’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Levr Bet’s terms.
Terms of Service (no date shown) state the Services are not available to US Persons, including those accessing from US territory.
United States named as a Restricted Jurisdiction; Restricted Persons must not use the Services. Terms & Conditions last updated September 25, 2025 (embedded at xmarket.app/terms), section 3.2.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in GameClub’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in CRSHMARKET’s terms.
United States is named on Probable's Restricted Jurisdictions page (no date shown); access and use prohibited for residents, citizens or persons located there.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in Divvy.Bet’s terms.
Listed as a restricted jurisdiction in World’s terms.
Not verified 13
Prediction markets in California: common questions
- Are prediction markets legal in California?
Yes. California has no legal sports betting and has taken no enforcement action against prediction markets, though its Attorney General backs other states in court. The Ninth Circuit, which binds California’s federal courts, has sided with Nevada, and on 4 November 2026 a federal court barred Kalshi’s sports contracts on the lands of the tribes that sued it.
- What betting apps are legal in California?
Sports betting in California: not legal (Penal Code 337a). Of the regulated prediction-market apps we review, 7 are open in California on our records, including Kalshi, OG, Novig, DraftKings Predictions and FanDuel Predicts. They offer event contracts under CFTC rules rather than state sports-betting licences, which some states dispute.
- How do I sign up for Kalshi in California?
Open an account on kalshi.com or its app, verify your identity (legal name, date of birth, residential address and a photo of a driver’s licence or passport) and deposit at least $10 ($1,000 by wire). Bank transfers (ACH) carry no Kalshi fee; debit-card deposits carry a 2% processing fee. What you can trade depends on California’s rules, set out on this page.
- Is Kalshi sports betting in California?
Federally, no: Kalshi is a CFTC-designated exchange and its event contracts are regulated as derivatives, not licensed as bets. California’s regulators or courts have acted against Kalshi, so its sports contracts may be limited there; this page shows what applies.
- Is Kalshi legal in California?
Yes — our records show Kalshi open in California. KalshiEX is a CFTC-designated contract market and its Member Agreement names no US state as restricted. State court orders block some contract categories in Nevada, Washington and Michigan; elsewhere its contracts are available. Kalshi is in litigation with about 20 states, so this can change quickly.
- Is Polymarket US legal in California?
Only in part. Polymarket US restricts access in California. QCX LLC publishes no list of eligible or excluded states. A Nevada court granted a preliminary injunction against QCX LLC d/b/a Polymarket US on 29 May 2026 (Nevada Gaming Control Board).
Missouri's Attorney General has sent a cease-and-desist over sports contracts, and New York has announced a lawsuit; neither state is marked closed because the operator has not said it geoblocks them.
- Is Dexsport legal in California?
No. Dexsport is not available in California. General Terms: users must not reside in, be citizens of or be incorporated in the USA; using a VPN to get round this is prohibited.
- Is OG legal in California?
Yes — our records show OG open in California. Help centre: “currently available in all U.S. states”, though some event contracts may be unavailable in some states (not named). App Store: “Available in all 50 US states”. New York has separate funding and portfolio articles.
- Is Polymarket legal in California?
Only in part. Polymarket restricts access in California. The international polymarket.com site is closed to US residents: no deposits and no trades. The help centre lists the US as blocked and the API docs list it as close-only. US residents are sent to the separate Polymarket US app, run by QCX LLC (a CFTC DCM). Polymarket US state-level eligibility was not verified because its ToS page loads its text client-side.
- Is Novig legal in California?
Yes — our records show Novig open in California. “Novig is available nationwide except Arizona, Nevada, Michigan and Ohio” (Novig’s state page, updated 4 November 2026); its help centre still lists only Arizona, Nevada and Michigan. Eligibility is based on physical location when you trade, and users must be 21 or older.
- Is DraftKings Predictions legal in California?
Yes — our records show DraftKings Predictions open in California. DraftKings' own availability page (updated 2026-07-22) lists 48 states for Predictions, plus DC and US territories. Access depends on physical location and excludes tribal land. Sports markets vary by state; the breakdown is shown only as an image that could not be read. The official availability page and Predictions Terms returned 403.
- Is FanDuel Predicts legal in California?
Yes — our records show FanDuel Predicts open in California. FanDuel Predicts is available in all 50 states and DC. Users must be 18+ and verify their identity. It is not available on or near tribal land.
- Is Underdog Predictions legal in California?
Yes — our records show Underdog Predictions open in California. Underdog's California page: "We have Predictions, Pick’em and Drafts available"; residents must be 18+.