Nevada regulator files civil enforcement action against Polymarket

The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has filed a civil enforcement action against Polymarket in Carson City District Court, as well as the prediction market operator’s technology platform Blockratize. 

Within its complaint, the Nevada regulator asked the court for a declaration and injunction which would prohibit Polymarket from offering “unlicensed wagering” in violation of state law. 

“Polymarket operates a derivatives exchange and prediction market where it offers event contracts for sale. These products are offered for sale on Polymarket’s mobile app and are made available to people in Nevada,” the filing stated. 

“The Board considers offering sports event contracts, or certain other events contracts, to constitute wagering activity under NRS 463.0193 and 463.01962 and, therefore, entities offering such event contracts must be licensed.”

Given Polymarket has yet to be approved for Nevada licensing, the NGCB considers the prediction market operator’s services to be unlawful in the state and in violation of multiple legislative codes. 

The filing continued: “Nevada’s public policy, as expressed by the Legislature, is that the gaming industry is vitally important to the economy of the state and the general welfare of the inhabitants and therefore must be licensed, controlled and assisted to protect the public health, safety, morals, good order and general welfare of the inhabitants of the State.”

Fellow prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Crypto.com are also currently engaged in legal battles with Nevada regulators, but the January 2026 filing represents the first case to involve Polymarket. 

Polymarket has formed a number of exclusive partnerships to begin the year, including with organizations such as Dow Jones, the New York Rangers NHL franchise and the Golden Globes awards ceremony on January 11. 

The prediction market offerings will be made available on Dow Jones’ consumer platforms, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch and Investor’s Business Daily.