Utah Files 14 Criminal Charges Against Prediction Market Operator Kalshi

Utah has filed 14 criminal charges against the prediction market operator Kalshi and its co-founders, intensifying a legal dispute over the company's sports and event contracts.

According to BitKE, the charges comprise one felony count alleging a pattern of unlawful activity, 12 felony counts of promoting online gambling, and one misdemeanor count. Prosecutors say the company continued to accept wagers from Utah residents after a federal court ruling permitted the state to enforce its gambling laws.

The case rests on evidence collected by an undercover agent from the Utah Attorney General's Office, who used a local address, phone number, and debit card to reach the platform in September 2026. BitKE reported that the agent was allowed to place 12 separate sports wagers, which the state cites as proof that the platform is promoting illegal gambling within its borders. Decrypt reported that the undercover wagers were placed a day after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Utah in an effort to block the state's enforcement actions.