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The Coming Supreme Court Battle Over Prediction Markets

C. Jarrett Dieterle·August 20, 2026·Substack
the Supreme Court may decide if sports betting is gambling or derivatives

Why It's Worth Reading

States and Kalshi are warring over whether sports-event contracts are gambling or federally regulated derivatives — and the fight looks headed to the Supreme Court. The Third Circuit sided with Kalshi on CFTC preemption, but the Ninth Circuit, hearing Nevada's challenge, appears poised to create the circuit split that forces the justices to step in. Dieterle walks through the statutory hooks (the 1974 CEA amendments, CFMA 2000, Dodd-Frank) and reads the Court's recent anti-preemption voting patterns to handicap how it would rule — with the major questions doctrine looming as Kalshi's biggest risk.

Some technical background helpful

Concepts

Platforms mentioned: Kalshi, Polymarket

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