Nevada Blocks Polymarket — Gaming Control Board Has Now Frozen Out Every Major Prediction Market in the State
A judge from Carson City has granted a preliminary injunction to the Nevada Gaming Control Board against Polymarket on Friday. This marks the completion of the state’s sweep against the five largest prediction market platforms and is the most decisive enforcement action taken by any state against the industry to date.
The short version:
- Judge Jason Woodbury of the First Judicial District Court on Friday May 29 granted the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s motion for a preliminary injunction against QCX LLC, doing business as Polymarket US. The NGCB announced the ruling Monday June 2, stating it has now successfully restricted the operation of all unlicensed prediction markets known to be operating in Nevada
- Kalshi and Coinbase have been barred from offering contracts involving sports, elections, and entertainment events in the state by prior preliminary injunction orders. Robinhood agreed to stop voluntarily pending litigation, and Crypto.com withdrew from Nevada after a separate denial of an injunction
- NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer urged the wider gambling industry to take a tougher stance against the expansion of prediction markets, speaking at the International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking at the Bellagio
- Nevada’s strategy of filing in state rather than federal court has become the model other states are now studying; the CFTC’s claims of exclusive federal jurisdiction have repeatedly failed to shield platforms in Nevada’s state courts
- Polymarket has grounds to appeal Judge Woodbury’s order; meanwhile, the Ninth Circuit is considering Nevada’s appeal in the Kalshi case, with a three-judge panel reportedly leaning toward Nevada during April oral arguments
The Nevada Gaming Control Board commenced its enforcement campaign against prediction markets in March 2025 with a cease-and-desist against Kalshi. Since then it has filed civil enforcement actions against Polymarket, Kalshi, Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Robinhood — methodically working through every major operator in the space by filing in state court rather than the federal arena, where prediction market platforms have found more sympathetic rulings.
The state court strategy has proven highly effective in practice. Kalshi initially succeeded in getting a federal preliminary injunction against the NGCB in Nevada, arguing that CFTC regulation pre-empts state gambling law. The same federal judge who granted that injunction later dissolved it. The NGCB then turned to state court — where it has since won preliminary injunctions against Kalshi, Coinbase, and Polymarket, a jurisdiction where the federal pre-emption argument carries far less weight.
Judge Woodbury’s decision noted that Nevada’s “comprehensive regulatory structure” and “strict licensing standards” justify the finding that permitting an unlicensed operator to offer bets causes irreparable harm to the state’s ability to fulfil its statutory functions. The significance of that framing is that it makes the state’s injury argument distinct from any financial harm to existing licensed sportsbook operators.
The Nevada situation represents the prediction market industry’s most severe regulatory setback to date. The state that is home to the country’s most important gaming market, and whose regulators carry the greatest institutional weight in national gambling policy discussions, has effectively shut out the entire sector. Chairman Dreitzer has gone further than most regulators, calling on the rest of the gambling industry — sportsbook operators, casino companies, tribal gaming — to take a stand against prediction market expansion on the grounds that it undermines the licensing and tax frameworks the industry depends on.
The most significant pending development remains the Ninth Circuit appeal in the Kalshi case. If the court rules in Nevada’s favour, that would further cement the state court approach and create a circuit split with the Third Circuit’s KalshiEx v. Flaherty ruling — almost certainly pushing the question to the Supreme Court. A ruling against Nevada could restore the federal pre-emption argument and potentially unwind the state court injunctions across multiple jurisdictions.
- Las Vegas Review-Journal — Carson City judge grants preliminary injunction against Polymarket (June 2, 2026) — https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/judge-blocks-polymarket-from-operating-in-nevada-3832277/
- Intergame Online — Nevada Gaming Control Board welcomes Polymarket ruling (June 2, 2026) — https://www.intergameonline.com/sports-betting/news/nevada-gaming-control-board-polymarket-ruling
- Focus GN — NGCB secures preliminary injunction against Polymarket (June 2, 2026) — https://focusgn.com/ngcb-secures-preliminary-injunction-against-polymarket
- CDC Gaming — Nevada regulators celebrate state court victory over Polymarket (June 2, 2026) — https://cdcgaming.com/nevada-regulators-celebrate-state-court-victory-over-polymarket/
- Gambling Insider — Nevada Secures Preliminary Injunction Against Polymarket (June 3, 2026) — https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/163499/nevada-secures-preliminary-injunction-against-polymarket
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