CFTC tells Kalshi to defy Michigan court order and continue offering sports

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has told Kalshi to continue offering its sports event contracts in Michigan, effectively directing the prediction-market operator to defy a state court order. The CFTC has taken one of its boldest steps yet in its conflict with states over prediction markets and the instruction follows a June 29 Michigan court ban on Kalshi operating in the state.

Two weeks after the court ruling, the CFTC’s instruction puts a federal regulator and a state judiciary directly at odds over whether Kalshi can sell sports contracts to Michigan residents. The dispute centres on prediction-market products rather than traditional casino games, but it affects where players can access alternative sports betting-style offerings.

According to SBC Americas, the move is being watched as a significant federal push in the wider fight over prediction markets and could have implications for market access in Michigan and beyond.