CFTC sues Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut over states' sports prediction market efforts

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Department of Justice filed lawsuit against Illinois, Arizona, Connecticut and various state officials on Thursday over the state's efforts to shutter prediction market providers.

Illinois, alongside numerous other states, sent cease-and-desist letters to some prediction market providers, arguing that the companies were offering sports gambling products that should be regulated under state law. The CFTC has argued that prediction markets are offering swaps products, which are regulated under the federal Commodity Exchange Act and therefore are under the "exclusive jurisdiction" of that regulator.

In the lawsuit, the CFTC continued this argument, saying Illinois's efforts "intrudes on" the CFTC's role, and that federal law preempts state regulations in this matter.

"Event contracts are derivative instruments that enable parties to trade on their predictions about whether a future event — which may relate to economics, or elections, or climate, or sports, or anything else of a potential financial, economic or commercial consequence — will occur," the filing said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said, “The Trump Administration is carrying water for companies driving well-documented and lucrative insider trading schemes. These firms are making record profits while exposing Illinoisans to gaming products with no basic consumer protections or oversight. This is a blatant attempt to sidestep the State’s jurisdiction and put profits ahead of consumers. Illinois isn’t backing down — we will continue to fight to protect Illinois consumers.”

The CFTC, especially under current Chairman Mike Selig, has argued that prediction markets are federally regulated, even as many of these companies expand to allow customers to place bets on sporting events. States, under both Republicans and Democrats, have pushed back. Nevada's Gaming Control Board secured a temporary restraining order against Kalshi last month, with a hearing set for Friday.

"This is not the first time states have tried to impose inconsistent and contrary obligations on market participants, but Congress specifically rejected such a fragmented patchwork of state regulations because it resulted in poorer consumer protection and increased risk of fraud and manipulation," Selig said in a statement.

The CFTC will participate in an appeals court hearing before the Ninth Circuit later this month, in a consolidated case involving the North American Derivatives Exchange, Kalshi and Robinhood.

Read more: Prediction markets backlash builds possible stormcloud for 2027

UPDATE (April 2, 2026, 17:42 UTC): Adds Arizona, Connecticut information and statement from Selig.

UPDATE (April 2, 2026, 22:33 UTC): Adds Illinois statement.