Is Kalshi legal? › Montana

Is Kalshi legal in Montana?

Status as of September 25, 2026 · every line has its source and date · not legal advice

As of September 25, 2026, Kalshi is available in Montana, and its sports contracts are available, according to CBS Sports (September 24, 2026). 7 state actions involving Kalshi are listed below with their sources. This is a dated summary of public sources, not legal advice.

Status at a glance

ServiceMontana
Kalshi (CFTC-regulated exchange)Available
Kalshi sports contractsAvailable
Polymarket US (for comparison)Reported available
polymarket.com (international site)No new trades for US users

Kalshi is reported live in Montana, including sports: under a 2026-09-17 court stipulation Montana agreed not to enforce until Kalshi's Ninth Circuit en banc petition in the Nevada case is resolved, and to give 30 days' notice before any enforcement. Polymarket US is reported live (news-level evidence only).

What the status rests on

What has happened in Montana

DateCompanyEvent and source
2026-09-21KalshiThe court dismissed the case with prejudice as to the five commission members and without prejudice as to Knudsen, Sterhan and the GCD.
KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen (D. Mont.), docket entry 36
2026-09-17KalshiKalshi and Montana filed a joint stipulation in which Montana agreed to pause enforcement until Kalshi's en banc petition in the Ninth Circuit Nevada case (KalshiEX v. Assad, No. 25-7516) is resolved and to give 30 days' written notice before any later enforcement.
Joint Stipulation of Dismissal, KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen (D. Mont.), Doc. 35
2026-08-27KalshiAfter earlier agreed stays, Judge Donald W. Molloy refused a further stay and denied Kalshi's April 21 preliminary-injunction motion without prejudice, ordering Montana to respond to the complaint within 21 days.
KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen (D. Mont.), docket entry 33
2026-04-12KalshiKalshi sued Attorney General Austin Knudsen, GCD Administrator Alex Sterhan, the GCD and five members of the Montana Lottery and Sports Wagering Commission in federal court in Montana to block enforcement (No. 6:26-cv-00028).
KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen, No. 6:26-cv-00028 (D. Mont.), docket
2026-04-06KalshiThe GCD sent Kalshi a second cease-and-desist order, saying the earlier pause had been tied to a Nevada preliminary injunction that was since dissolved.
GCD letter 'Order to Cease and Desist Illegal Gambling Activities in Montana' (Apr. 6, 2026), Exhibit 3 to Kalshi's complaint
2025-04-11KalshiAccording to Kalshi's complaint, the GCD agreed not to enforce against Kalshi while Kalshi's Nevada case (KalshiEX v. Hendrick) was pending, and confirmed this in writing on April 16, 2025.
Complaint, KalshiEX LLC v. Knudsen (D. Mont.), Doc. 1
2025-03-26KalshiThe Montana DOJ Gambling Control Division ordered Kalshi to cease and desist, saying its event contracts, including sports contracts, are illegal gambling and unlicensed sports wagering under Montana law.
GCD letter 'Order to Cease and Desist Illegal Gambling Activities in Montana' (Mar. 26, 2025), Exhibit 1 to Kalshi's complaint

Good to know

State regulator: Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division (GCD). The GCD issued both cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi; per Kalshi's complaint, the GCD regulates all gambling except sports betting, the Montana Lottery and horse racing, while Sports Bet Montana is overseen by the Montana Lottery and Sports Wagering Commission. The GCD website (dojmt.gov) returned HTTP 403, so the URL is the GCD's April 6, 2026 letter as filed in court.

The federal picture

Kalshi has been a CFTC-designated contract market since November 4, 2020 (CFTC release 8302-20). Whether states may still apply their gambling laws to sports event contracts is being decided in the courts, and the federal appeals courts do not agree yet:

How sure is this page? Confidence: medium. Kalshi's Montana status and all key events are confirmed by court records and two outlets from the last week, but Polymarket US's Montana status could not be resolved. Researched September 25, 2026; court cases can change the status at any time, so check Kalshi's app before you trade.

Related: every state · is Polymarket legal in Montana? (Polymarket View) · Kalshi fee calculator · Kalshi taxes · Kalshi FAQ

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Frequently asked questions

Is Kalshi legal in Montana?

As of September 25, 2026, Kalshi is available in Montana, and its sports contracts are available, according to CBS Sports (September 24, 2026). 7 state actions involving Kalshi are listed below with their sources. This is a dated summary of public sources, not legal advice.

Can I trade sports contracts on Kalshi in Montana?

Kalshi's sports contracts are available in Montana according to the sources on this page as of September 25, 2026. State lawsuits and court orders can change that quickly, so check the dated timeline and Kalshi's app.

Is Kalshi regulated?

Yes, federally: the CFTC designated KalshiEX LLC as a contract market on November 4, 2020. States disagree on whether their gambling laws also reach sports event contracts, and federal courts are split, so availability differs by state.