Availability · California
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 tribes won a September 2026 ruling over Kalshi contracts placed from tribal land.
Of the 26 platforms we review, 8 are open in California, 4 with restrictions and 11 not at all; for 3 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 29 September 2026.
What California has done 6
tribal lawsuit / court ruling (IGRA)Kalshi, Robinhood
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Blue Lake Rancheria; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians v. Kalshi, Robinhood). 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, Robinhood
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), Kalshi and Robinhood, arguing the CEA does not preempt state sports-betting law.
Available 8
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.
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.
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.
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.
“Novig is available nationwide, except in Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan.” Eligibility is based on physical location at the time of trading, and users must be 21 or older.
Available with restrictions 4
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.
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.
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.
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.
Not available 11
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.
Contracts and services are not offered to US Persons. Terms of Use (no date shown).
Terms of Service (no date shown) state the Services are not available to US Persons, including those accessing from US territory.
United States is named on Probable's Restricted Jurisdictions page (no date shown); access and use prohibited for residents, citizens or persons located there.
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.
The Terms say Insight does not currently allow trading from within the United States.
Platform is not available for trading to users from the USA. Terms of Service last updated September 15, 2026, section 1 Eligibility.
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.
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.
Terms (last updated 2025) say Zeitgeist does not accept clients from the United States; browsers from these Regulated Jurisdictions are prohibited from using the site.
Not verified 3
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 tribes won a September 2026 ruling over Kalshi contracts placed from tribal land.
- Can I use Kalshi 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.
- Can I use Polymarket in California?
- Partly. Polymarket is open in California with restrictions. 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.
- Can I use FanDuel Predicts 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.
- Can I use Interactive Brokers ForecastTrader in California?
- Yes — our records show Interactive Brokers ForecastTrader open in California. 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.
- Can I use Crypto.com Prediction Markets in California?
- Yes — our records show Crypto.com Prediction Markets open in California. 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.