Are Prediction Markets Legal in Maryland?

Last updated September 27, 2026. Snapshot — not legal advice.

As of September 27, 2026, the legality of prediction markets in Maryland is unresolved — litigation is ongoing with no final ruling yet.

Prediction markets in Maryland

Contested — state authority upheld (preliminary)
Maryland is contested on two levels, and the platform list is longer than the fight. At the state level a federal district court denied Kalshi’s injunction, holding the Commodity Exchange Act does not preempt Maryland’s betting law (KalshiEX LLC v. Martin, 2025); the Fourth Circuit heard argument in May 2026 and was reportedly skeptical of Kalshi’s theory, and the state agreed not to enforce until the court rules. Crypto.com’s exchange arm filed its own preemption suit days after Kalshi’s (North American Derivatives Exchange v. Martin) and it has been stayed behind that same appeal without ever producing a ruling. At the city level, Baltimore opened a separate front in August 2026 under its Consumer Protection Ordinance rather than state gambling law: one action names Kalshi alongside Coinbase, Robinhood and Webull, and a companion action names Polymarket’s exchange entities. Those are municipal consumer-protection claims against venues and the brokerages distributing their contracts — not additional preemption suits.

Litigation affecting Maryland

KalshiEX LLC v. MartinKalshi’s injunction denied (2025); the Fourth Circuit heard argument in May 2026 and appeared skeptical of Kalshi.
Injunction denied; on appeal (4th Cir.)
North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. (Crypto.com) v. MartinStayed by agreement (September 2025) pending the Fourth Circuit’s decision in Kalshi’s parallel Maryland appeal; no merits ruling has ever issued.
Stayed pending the Fourth Circuit
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore v. KalshiBaltimore sued Kalshi and three brokerage distributors under the city’s Consumer Protection Ordinance — the first municipal action of the fight.
Filed — municipal consumer-protection action
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore v. QCX LLC (Polymarket)Baltimore filed a separate consumer-protection action against Polymarket’s exchange entities — QCX LLC, Blockratize Inc. and QC Tech LLC — alongside its Kalshi suit; QCX removed it to federal court.
Filed — municipal consumer-protection action

Which platforms are available in Maryland?

Each platform’s own published availability list, checked September 24, 2026. This table covers the platforms whose complete list we could verify from a primary source: Kalshi, Polymarket (international), DKeX (DraftKings Predictions), Underdog (Underdog Predict), Novig.

Platform availability in Maryland
PlatformStatus in MarylandSource
KalshiOffered here, per the platform’s own availability listPlatform’s list
Polymarket (international)Unavailable herePlatform’s list
DKeX (DraftKings Predictions)Offered, with sports restrictedPlatform’s list (archived Sep 16)
Underdog (Underdog Predict)Offered here, per the platform’s own availability listPlatform’s list
NovigOffered here, per the platform’s own availability listPlatform’s list

Sports betting & gambling in Maryland

Legal — Online & Retail

Approved by 2020 referendum; retail December 2021, statewide mobile November 2022 The market is regulated by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. Tribal gaming: not a factor.

The federal-vs-state fight

Every entry in this fight turns on the same question: does a prediction-market platform's federal regulation by the CFTC preempt a state's gambling law, or does the state retain authority to restrict it? Courts around the country are answering that question differently — sometimes for the platform, sometimes for the state — and almost every ruling so far is preliminary and under appeal. Treat this page as a snapshot, not a final word.

This page is informational, not legal advice. Nearly every litigation entry referenced here is a preliminary ruling under appeal. Always verify a platform's current, location-specific eligibility directly with the venue before relying on this page.