Nevada Judge grants NGCB’s preliminary injunction request against Polymarket

District Court Judge Jason Woodbury has granted the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB)’s preliminary injunction request against Polymarket, having originally filed enforcement action to halt the prediction market’s operations in January 2026. 

“We are very pleased with Judge Woodbury’s ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce Nevada law to safeguard gaming in our state,” NGCB Chairman Mike Dreitzer said. 

As a result of fellow preliminary injunction requests, both Kalshi and Coinbase were prohibited from offering or facilitating event contracts related to sports, entertainment and elections. 

While a written order is “forthcoming” from Woodbury, the District Court Judge had previously issued a temporary restraining order against Polymarket on January 29, claiming an “unlicensed participant such as Polymarket obstructs the Board’s ability to fulfill its statutory functions.”

"The question of federal preemption in this regard is nuanced and rapidly evolving. At the moment, the balance of convincing legal authority weighs against federal preemption in this context,” Woodbury said. 

"The resulting harm in evasion of Nevada's 'comprehensive regulatory structure' and 'strict licensing standards' is immediate, irreparable and not sufficiently remediable by compensatory damages. The Board has a statutory duty to protect the public and advance Nevada's interest in administering a reputable gaming industry with integrity.”

Kalshi and Polymarket had each filed emergency stay motions in Nevada federal court to allow the respective legislative bodies “adequate” time to consider “forthcoming” stay motions from both operators, as well as any responses from regulators.

The motions have seemingly done little to sway state courts toward favoring the prediction market operators, as Kalshi was forced to implement geofencing or geolocation measures in Nevada during May.