Judge rejects bid to stop Arizona's prosecution of Kalshi on wagering charges
Source: Associated Press
Judge rejects bid to stop Arizona’s prosecution of Kalshi on wagering charges
By JACQUES BILLEAUD
Updated 5:46 PM EDT, April 9, 2026
PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request from prediction market operator Kalshi to bar Arizona prosecutors from moving forward with a criminal case, alleging the company is operating an illegal betting platform in the state.
In a decision Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Michael Liburdi also denied Kalshi’s request for a ruling saying federal law trumps Arizona’s gambling laws. Liburdi said it’s too early in the case for him to rule on that issue.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has charged Kalshi with 20 misdemeanor counts of wagering, alleging that the company accepted bets on political outcomes, college sports and individual player performance.
Arizona, the first state to file criminal charges against Kalshi, prohibits operating an unlicensed wagering business and betting on elections. The criminal charges mark a new front in a high-stakes legal battle over whether prediction markets should be subject to the same rules as gambling operations.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/arizona-kalshi-criminal-charges-prediction-markets-gambling-563fbd63ded38faafc1a36b0382f7894