June 30, 2026
Ingham County Circuit Court orders Kalshi to stop offering unlicensed sports wagers to Michigan residents, including teenagers as young as 18, or face fines of $120,000 per day
DETROIT, June 30, 2026 — The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) announced today that the Ingham County Circuit Court has granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) against KalshiEX, LLC, immediately barring the prediction-market platform from offering unlicensed internet sports betting to Michigan residents.
The order, signed by Hon. Rosemarie E. Aquilina, was secured on the MGCB’s behalf by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, who serves as the Board’s legal counsel in gaming enforcement matters. The action is part of the MGCB’s ongoing effort to hold offshore and unlicensed gambling operators accountable and to shield Michigan’s families — especially its young people and those struggling with problem gambling — from predatory, unregulated betting schemes.
“Kalshi is targeting Michigan's most vulnerable residents with sports betting dressed up as investing — and without intervention, the harm will keep getting worse,” said MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams. “Our licensed sportsbooks follow strict rules designed to protect consumers — verifying that bettors are at least 21 years old, offering responsible-gaming tools, and protecting patron funds. Kalshi has refused to play by the same rules, and our agency will continue to use every regulatory and legal tool available to make sure Michigan families, our schools, and our first responders are protected from this unchecked exploitation.”
Protecting Michigan’s Young People
Michigan law requires sports bettors to be at least 21 years old. Research shows that teenagers and young adults who gamble are three to four times more likely than adults to develop problem-gambling behaviors, with consequences that can include anxiety, depression, and, in severe cases, suicidal ideation. Michigan’s licensed operators are required to verify age and identity before any wager is placed.
Safeguards for Problem Gamblers
Michigan’s licensed sports betting operators must offer robust responsible-gaming protections, including self-exclusion programs, deposit and wagering limits, and direct links to addiction resources, all overseen directly by the MGCB. Kalshi offers none of these mandated protections, leaving Michigan residents with serious gambling-related mental health risks exposed with no regulatory backstop. The MGCB’s action, brought through the Attorney General’s office, seeks to close that gap and ensure that anyone wagering on sports in Michigan has access to patron protections through licensed sportsbooks.
Defending Michigan’s Regulated Market, Schools, and First Responders
By operating without a Michigan gaming license, Kalshi avoids the fees, taxes, and compliance costs that licensed Michigan sportsbooks must pay — giving it an unfair competitive advantage while diverting critical revenue away from the public.
Internet sports wagering revenue collected by the MGCB directly funds:
Terms of the Order
The TRO, effective immediately and lasting 14 days, prohibits Kalshi and anyone acting on its behalf from offering, advertising, or facilitating internet sports betting to any person located in Michigan. The order directs Kalshi to implement state-compliant, third-party geolocation technology to ensure it is not taking wagers from Michigan residents, consistent with MGCB Technical Bulletin No. 2024-03, and imposes a fine of $120,000 per day for noncompliance.
Part of a Broader Effort to Hold Prediction Markets Accountable
The TRO builds on recent victories for Michigan consumers. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney denied requests by Polymarket and Robinhood for preliminary injunctions that would have blocked Michigan from enforcing its gambling laws against their sports-related prediction contracts, rejecting their arguments that such products are exempt federal “swaps” beyond the State’s reach. No operator may sidestep the state’s consumer protections simply by rebranding a sports bet as an “event contract.”
“The MGCB exists to ensure fair and honest gaming for the people of the state, and that mission does not stop at the border of a company’s marketing materials,” added Williams. “Whether Kalshi calls its product an ‘event contract’ or a ‘trade,’ it’s a sports wager being offered to Michigan residents without a license and without the consumer protections our state requires.”
The MGCB urges any Michigan resident struggling with problem gambling to seek help. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ problem gambling helpline, and additional responsible-gaming resources, including the state’s self-exclusion programs, are available at Michigan.gov/MGCB and DontRegretTheBet.org.
Gambling in any form is for entertainment purposes only. If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER, chat online, or visit 800gambler.org. Help is available 24/7, free and confidential. Michigan residents can also visit the MGCB's Responsible Gaming page for information on self-exclusion programs, including the Disassociated Persons List and the Internet Gaming and Sports Betting Responsible Gaming Database. Through a partnership with Gamban, Michigan residents can claim a free license for Gamban's gambling blocking software — visit Michigan.gov/MGCB to learn more. Additional responsible gaming tools are available at DontRegretTheBet.org. The Michigan Gaming Control Board shall ensure the conduct of fair and honest gaming to protect the interests of Michigan citizens. Learn more at Michigan.gov/MGCB.
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