Washington AG sues online platform Kalshi for illegal gambling

Olympia, WASH. — Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit today against Kalshi, a company he says violates state law by operating and advertising an online platform where users can bet on sports, elections, and other events.

Brown’s office wrote in a press release, “Kalshi even allows consumers to bet on the total number of ‘measles cases this year,’ ‘what will witnesses say’ during a child trafficking hearing, or potential outcomes in the Iran war.”

He claims Kalshi attempts to skirt state law by branding its betting platform as a “prediction market,” but Brown argues, “whatever Kalshi chooses to call it, Kalshi’s operations clearly fall under the definition of illegal gambling in Washington.”

The lawsuit argues Kalshi violates the Washington state Gambling Act and Consumer Protection Act.

“Kalshi wants people betting on almost everything possible in life—the outcome of elections, Supreme Court cases, even wars. For Kalshi, every event, every tragedy is nothing more than a potential way for Americans to risk their fortunes and for Kalshi to get rich,” said Brown. “As they advance this bleak vision of the future, they line their pockets and pat themselves on the back for sneaking around Washington’s gambling laws. No more.”

The definition of gambling under Washington law is “staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event.”

You can read the full complaint here.