Polymarket calls itself a prediction market. In a new lawsuit, New York’s top prosecutor calls it an illegal gambling operation. Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday sued the platform and accused it of operating outside the law because it doesn’t have a gambling license, reports ABC News. She’s asking a court to force the company to forfeit money, pay restitution and fines, and potentially upend its business nationwide. The state went after rival Kalshi in a similar lawsuit two months ago, part of a broader pattern of states seeking to regulate the fast-growing markets, per CNBC.
“Polymarket has done more than just knowingly violate state law, they have put New Yorkers at risk, especially those underage who are most vulnerable to problem gaming,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. Polymarket, which lets users stake money on everything from sports to wars and weather and is projected to handle more than $70 billion in trades next year, says its contracts are federally regulated derivatives, not gambling. The company vowed to fight what it called a “copy/paste” lawsuit and says it is staying in New York.