Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway ordered six prediction market operators on September 18, 2026 to stop offering contracts tied to sporting event outcomes in the state unless they obtain authorization from the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC), arguing that those products constitute unlicensed sports wagering.
The cease-and-desist letters were sent to Polymarket, Kalshi, Crypto.com, Novig, Underdog and Robinhood. Hanaway’s office argues that the companies cannot avoid state gambling regulation simply by labeling their products “event contracts” and warned that failure to comply could trigger enforcement action.
Ryan D. Nelson
Missouri legalized sports betting through Amendment 2, approved by voters in November 2024, and launched its regulated market on December 1, 2025. The framework requires state licenses, sets a minimum gambling age of 21, and imposes a 10% tax on gross sports wagering revenue, with proceeds allocated in part to public education and problem gambling programs. The MGC is chaired by Jan M. Zimmerman, while Michael A. Leara serves as Executive Director. The commission also includes Kevin Spaulding, Kevin Cantwell, Sam K. Gladney and Roger Stottlemyre.
Bridget S. Bade
The crackdown follows two significant federal court decisions involving Kalshi’s regulatory arguments. On August 28, the Ninth Circuit, in KalshiEX LLC v. Assad, upheld in part a ruling allowing Nevada to enforce its gambling laws. The panel consisted of Judges Ryan D. Nelson, Bridget S. Bade and Kenneth K. Lee.
On September 16, in Blue Lake Rancheria v. Kalshi, Judges Mary H. Murguia, M. Margaret McKeown and Richard A. Paez found that the tribes were likely to succeed on their argument that sports contracts could qualify as Class III gaming under IGRA when offered on tribal lands. Missouri also challenged the age-verification controls used by Polymarket, Kalshi, Crypto.com, Underdog and Robinhood; that claim reflects the Attorney General’s position and does not yet constitute a final court ruling.
