Is Kalshi legal in Washington state? The King County injunction, the Gambling Commission notice and Kalshi's terms
A King County Superior Court order filed on 12 August 2026 bars Kalshi from offering sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions contracts in Washington, with a GeoComply geofence due by 2 September 2026. The Washington State Gambling Commission said on 9 December 2025 that prediction markets are not authorized in the state. Kalshi's Member Agreement names no US state as restricted.
Is Kalshi legal in Washington state? Not for most of what it sells. A King County Superior Court order filed on 12 August 2026 bars Kalshi from offering sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions contracts in Washington. The state Gambling Commission said on 9 December 2025 that prediction markets are "not authorized in Washington State". Kalshi's own terms still name no US state.
Court, statute and Commission documents were read on 28 October 2026. This is not legal advice.
Does Kalshi allow Washington users?
Its terms do. Section VI of the Member Agreement lists the jurisdictions where trading is barred, and the list is countries and sanctioned territories. Washington is not on it, and no other US state is. The help centre article dated 10 March 2026 asks only that a user "Be 18 years or older" and says "It is your individual responsibility to ensure that your access and use on the Kalshi Exchange is permissible and lawful for you."
Section VI also bars trading where it "is prohibited under Applicable Law or by Kalshi policy". In Washington the limit comes from a court order.
What did the Washington court order Kalshi to do?
Stop most of its Washington business. The Attorney General sued KalshiEX, LLC in King County Superior Court on 27 March 2026 under the Gambling Act and the Consumer Protection Act. After oral argument on 10 July 2026, Judge John F. McHale's amended and updated preliminary injunction in case No. 26-2-10264-3 SEA was filed on 12 August 2026. Its operative clause:
Kalshi shall cease marketing, advertising, promoting, conducting, operating, facilitating, distributing, offering, or accepting event contracts, or other contracts, instruments, or products in Washington, related to sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, or mentions
We’re holding Kalshi accountable for running an illegal gambling operation. A court ruled that Kalshi must cease most of its operations in Washington in the coming weeks. As this case moves forward, we will continue to enforce Washington law and hold Kalshi accountable for…
The same paragraph excludes four categories: "Commodities," "Climate," "Economics" and "Finance." The order's findings list a "Crypto" category on the platform; the operative clause does not name it either way.
| Requirement | Deadline or term |
|---|---|
| IP and residency geofence | By 19 Aug 2026 |
| GeoComply multi-source geofence | By 2 Sep 2026 |
| If GeoComply is late | $120,000 a day, or a sworn affidavit |
| Existing positions | Users may exit them |
| Accounts | Users may close them and withdraw funds |
| Fees from Washington users | Status quo kept |
The Attorney General's release of 13 August 2026 says Kalshi asked the Washington Court of Appeals to stay the injunction and "the court denied their request." Whether Kalshi met the 2 September deadline was not stated in any document read: not verified. The order is preliminary. The state's claims have not been tried.
Is online gambling illegal in Washington?
Yes, and it is a felony. RCW 9.46.240 says whoever knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by "the internet" is "guilty of a class C felony". Under RCW 9A.20.021 a class C felony carries up to five years in a state correctional institution, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. The statute exempts activity the gambling chapter authorizes, including sports wagering under RCW 9.46.0368, which allows a wager to be placed only "while the customer placing the wager is physically present on the premises of a tribe's gaming facility."
The court applied those statutes to Kalshi. It found the state likely to show that Kalshi "Engaged and continues to engage in online gambling activity in violation of Washington law. RCW 9.46.240." It also held that the Commodity Exchange Act "does not preempt Washington State gambling law." No Washington user has been charged on any document read; the case names KalshiEX, LLC alone. The state's other rules are on the Washington page.
What has the Washington State Gambling Commission said?
One notice, dated 9 December 2025:
Offering events-based contracts or participating in these markets is not authorized in Washington State.
The notice covers participating, not only offering. It points sports bettors to tribal casinos. The Attorney General's complaint says Kalshi "is not licensed by the Washington State Gambling Commission to conduct online gambling", and the court found that Kalshi "has willfully ignored" the notice. No Commission cease-and-desist letter or enforcement action of its own was found on its site.
Has Washington joined the other states against Kalshi?
On one of the two multistate briefs. Washington is one of 37 attorneys general on the 12 June 2026 amicus brief backing Ohio in the Sixth Circuit, per the California Attorney General. The Supreme Court brief of 7 October 2026 in New Jersey's case, No. 26-299, filed for "Ohio, 38 Other States, and the District of Columbia", has no Washington Attorney General in its signature block. That brief does cite a federal ruling, Washington v. KalshiEX, LLC, No. C26-1062-JCC (W.D. Wash., 5 May 2026), with an appeal docketed in the Ninth Circuit as No. 26-3106. What that ruling decided was not verified from a primary page.
The CFTC's complaint against Utah lists nine states where the Commission has brought preemption actions. Washington is not one of them. The wider split between the federal circuits is in Is Kalshi gambling?, and Utah's fight with Kalshi and the CFTC is in Is Kalshi legal in Utah?.
What happens to a Washington account?
The order answers more than Kalshi's terms do. Users in Washington may exit positions they already hold, close or deactivate their accounts and withdraw funds. Kalshi must keep the status quo on fees from Washingtonians, and the state "reserves, and does not waive, the right to seek recovery for fees and losses incurred by Washington consumers on or after September 2, 2026."
Kalshi's agreement adds one lever of its own: Section VI lets it "grant, deny, condition, suspend, or revoke membership" in its "sole and absolute discretion". Nevada's similar order and geofence are in Is Kalshi legal in Nevada?, all 50 states are in the Kalshi state guide, and tax on gains is in Kalshi and Polymarket taxes.
Quick answers
Is Kalshi banned in Washington state?
For most contracts, yes, by court order. The King County order filed 12 August 2026 covers sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions. See the Washington page.
Does the order cover economics or finance markets?
No. The order excludes 4 categories: Commodities, Climate, Economics and Finance. The Gambling Commission's notice of 9 December 2025 says prediction markets as a whole are not authorized in the state.
Is online betting a felony in Washington?
Transmitting or receiving gambling information over the internet is a class C felony under RCW 9.46.240, with up to 5 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both under RCW 9A.20.021. Sports wagering is allowed only on the premises of a tribe's gaming facility.
Where can I get help with gambling in Washington?
The Washington State Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-547-6133, per the Attorney General. The National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), with call, text and chat. More options are on the responsible gambling page.
Sources
- State of Washington v. KalshiEX, LLC, King County Superior Court No. 26-2-10264-3 SEA, amended and updated order granting preliminary injunction, filed 12 August 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- State of Washington v. KalshiEX, LLC, complaint for injunctive and other relief, King County Superior Court, March 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Washington Attorney General, Washington sues online betting platform Kalshi for illegal gambling, 27 March 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Washington Attorney General, Judge orders Kalshi to cease numerous Washington operations, 13 August 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Washington State Gambling Commission, Prediction Markets, 9 December 2025, retrieved 28 October 2026
- RCW 9.46.240, Gambling information, transmitting or receiving, Washington State Legislature, retrieved 28 October 2026
- RCW 9.46.0368, Sports wagering over the internet authorized, Washington State Legislature, retrieved 28 October 2026
- RCW 9A.20.021, Maximum sentences for crimes, Washington State Legislature, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Kalshi Member Agreement, undated PDF, Section VI, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Kalshi Help Center, Signing Up as an Individual, dated 10 March 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- California Attorney General, Bonta joins bipartisan coalition defending state gambling laws against Kalshi, 12 June 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- Brief of amici curiae Ohio, 38 other states and the District of Columbia, Flaherty v. KalshiEX LLC, No. 26-299, October 2026, retrieved 28 October 2026
- United States and CFTC v. State of Utah and Derek Brown, complaint, D. Utah No. 2:26-cv-01055, retrieved 28 October 2026
- National Council on Problem Gambling, National Problem Gambling Helpline, retrieved 28 October 2026
About this piece
Compiled by the CryptoGuardz register team from the sources listed above. Research and drafting are AI-assisted and reviewed by a named editor before publication. Nothing here is a recommendation to gamble. If a figure or a reading is wrong, tell us and the correction is logged in public.