Polymarket Hit With Preliminary Injunction in Nevada — All Three Major Prediction Markets Now Paused
A First Judicial District Court judge granted the Nevada Gaming Control Board's motion against Polymarket, meaning Kalshi, Coinbase, and now Polymarket are all temporarily blocked from offering sports event contracts in the state.
TL;DR
- First Judicial District Court Judge Jason Woodbury granted the NGCB's preliminary injunction motion against Polymarket on June 3, 2026
- Once the court's written order is issued, Polymarket must cease all Nevada operations through the conclusion of the underlying lawsuit
- Kalshi (paused March 20) and Coinbase (paused March 26) were already restricted via similar court orders this spring
- Nevada has now successfully blocked every major prediction market platform known to be operating in the state
- The deeper legal question — whether state gaming regulators or only the federal CFTC can govern sports event contracts — remains unresolved nationally
What Happened
Nevada scored another legal victory in its ongoing campaign against prediction markets on June 3, 2026, when First Judicial District Court Judge Jason Woodbury granted the Nevada Gaming Control Board's motion for a preliminary injunction against Polymarket. Once the court issues the written order — which the NGCB confirmed is forthcoming — Polymarket will be required to temporarily cease all business in Nevada throughout the duration of the state's civil enforcement lawsuit.
The case dates back to January 2026, when the NGCB filed a civil enforcement action against Polymarket in the District Court for Carson City. The complaint argues that Polymarket's event contracts — particularly those tied to sports outcomes — constitute wagering activity under Nevada statutes NRS 463.0193 and 463.01962, and that any entity offering such contracts in Nevada must be licensed by the state.
“We are very pleased with Judge Woodbury's ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce Nevada law to safeguard gaming in our state.”
Mike Dreitzer, Chairman, Nevada Gaming Control Board
How Nevada Got Here — The Kalshi and Coinbase Precedents
The Polymarket ruling is the third in a sequence of NGCB courtroom wins this spring. On March 20, 2026, the same First Judicial District Court granted the board's request for a temporary restraining order against Kalshi, effectively banning the platform from offering Nevada users sports event contracts. That cessation has since been extended and Kalshi remains unavailable in the state. On March 26, the court granted a separate preliminary injunction against Coinbase, forcing it to stop offering sports and entertainment event contracts to Nevada residents.
With the Polymarket ruling now in hand, Nevada has effectively cleared every major US prediction market platform that had been operating — or attempting to operate — within state borders.
- Kalshi — temporary restraining order March 20, 2026, since extended
- Coinbase — preliminary injunction granted March 26, 2026
- Polymarket — preliminary injunction granted June 3, 2026 (written order pending)
The Core Legal Question
Underneath the procedural wins lies an unresolved national question: who has the legal authority to regulate sports event contracts? Platforms including Polymarket, Kalshi, Coinbase, Robinhood, and Crypto.com argue that event contracts fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and that state gaming boards cannot intrude on that federal regulatory ground. The platforms have filed lawsuits in several states defending that position.
State gaming regulators counter that the moment a contract resolves on the outcome of a sporting event, it walks, quacks, and pays out like a sports bet — and therefore must comply with state licensing, tax, and consumer-protection regimes that apply to every other sportsbook operator. Nevada has been the most aggressive state pursuing that argument and so far has won every preliminary motion it has filed.
Why It Matters for Nevada Bettors
For Nevadans, the practical effect is that the prediction-market alternative to traditional sportsbooks is now closed. Anyone who had been using Kalshi, Coinbase, Polymarket, or similar platforms to take positions on game outcomes, championship futures, or entertainment markets will need to migrate that action to a licensed Nevada operator — or wait out the lawsuits.
The 12 licensed online sportsbooks remain fully operational. The departure of DraftKings and FanDuel from Nevada in November 2025 — itself driven in part by the prediction-markets dispute — means today's NV bettor is choosing among BetMGM, Caesars, Westgate, Circa, STN Sports, South Point, Wynn, Boyd, Treasure Island, Golden Nugget, Resorts World, and the Station Casinos premium books. Sharp bettors who valued Kalshi for its sports event contracts will find similar (often better-priced) action at Westgate SuperBook and Circa Sports.
What's Next
Three things to watch over the summer and fall.
- The underlying Polymarket lawsuit proceeds — the preliminary injunction only freezes operations; it doesn't resolve the merits of the case
- Kalshi and Coinbase appeals — both companies have flagged intent to appeal their respective injunctions to higher courts
- Federal posture — the CFTC could clarify or expand its position on sports event contracts, which would either reinforce or undermine the platforms' federal-preemption argument