Affiliate disclosure: We earn commissions when you sign up through our links. This does not affect our scores or rankings. Full details →

Find Your Platform
Prediction markets

Are Prediction Markets Legal in Maryland?

Status as of October 3, 2026 (re-checked October 14): Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig available, dispute pending; OG sports contracts not offered. Fourth Circuit appeal still pending.

Catie Di Stefano By , Founder, PredictionRanks · Updated

Need help with gambling?

National Problem Gambling Helpline

1-800-522-4700 · Free · Confidential · 24/7

ncpgambling.org/chat (opens in a new tab) for online support · Our responsible trading hub

Quick Verdict: Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig available, dispute pending; OG sports contracts not offered

Short answer: Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig accept Maryland residents, with a dispute pending; OG does not offer sports contracts here. No court order blocks any of them in Maryland: Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and that court had not ruled when we checked on October 14, 2026. Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in August 2026. (Sports Betting Dime (opens in a new tab); Sixth Circuit opinion, Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab))

Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig: Available, dispute pending; OG: sports contracts not offered in Maryland. Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. (source (opens in a new tab))

Nationally: Federal appeals courts are split on sports event contracts, all at the preliminary-injunction stage: the Third Circuit sided with Kalshi (Apr 6, 2026), the Ninth (Aug 28, 2026) and Sixth (Sep 25, 2026) sided with the states, and three Supreme Court petitions (Nos. 26-299, 26-338, 26-344) are pending; none has been granted.

  • Status (as of October 3, 2026; court dates and open cases re-checked October 14, 2026): Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig: Available, dispute pending; OG: sports contracts not offered in Maryland.
  • Why: Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026.
  • Welcome offers that apply to Maryland residents (partner terms of Oct 1, 2026): Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX, Novig. Not valid here: OG, Rebet.
  • Age: Kalshi, Polymarket US, OG and Rebet set 18 as the minimum (ProphetX: 18 or the local age of majority if higher); Novig sets 21. We recommend 21+.
  • Status describes whether each platform accepts Maryland residents, not whether trading is legal. We do not give legal advice.

Best offer right now

Kalshi logo

Kalshi

Score 92/100

Trade $25 and Get $25!

Trade $25 in event contracts and get $25 in credit. Use code RANKPREDICTS at signup.

Code: RANKPREDICTS

Claim $25 credit (opens in a new tab)

21+ · Terms apply · Partner terms of Oct 1, 2026

Certain limitations apply. The offer is available to new users only, subject to the terms and conditions at kalshi.com/tc/500. 18+ only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Please carefully consider if it is appropriate for you in light of your personal financial circumstances. Kalshi products are not available in all jurisdictions. See kalshi.com/regulatory for more information.

Full offer details →

Status in Maryland as of October 3, 2026

PlatformStatusWhy (source)Welcome offer in Maryland
KalshiAvailable, dispute pendingKalshi accepts Maryland residents; Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. (source (opens in a new tab))Valid: Trade $25 and Get $25!
Polymarket USAvailable, dispute pendingPolymarket US accepts Maryland residents; Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. (source (opens in a new tab))Valid: Deposit $10 get a $25 Trading Bonus!
ProphetXAvailable, dispute pendingProphetX accepts Maryland residents; Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. (source (opens in a new tab))Valid: Trade $50, Earn $75!
OG (by Crypto.com)Sports contracts not offeredOG's help center says OG.com is available in all U.S. states but that certain event contracts are unavailable in certain states, and OG's prediction-markets explainer ("Eligibility and state restrictions") says Maryland residents cannot trade sports contracts; other categories may be open. Crypto.com said in Dec 2025 that it does not offer sports contracts in Maryland, and the OG welcome offer excludes Maryland. (source: OG Help Center; Sports Betting Dime (opens in a new tab))Not valid here
NovigAvailable, dispute pendingNovig accepts Maryland residents; Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. (source (opens in a new tab))Valid: Deposit $10 Get $50 in Trade Credits!
RebetNot offeredRebet is a sweepstakes app, not a CFTC-regulated exchange; its sweepstakes rules exclude Maryland. (source)Not valid here

What changed (newest first)

What the pending appeal means

A federal judge in Maryland denied Kalshi a preliminary injunction on August 1, 2025 (KalshiEX v. Martin), and Kalshi appealed to the Fourth Circuit (No. 25-1892). That court's rulings bind federal courts in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, also in the Fourth Circuit, and West Virginia. No ruling date is known. On September 9, 2026 both sides filed letters with the court about the Ninth Circuit's Nevada ruling. While the appeal is pending, Maryland's agreement not to enforce against Kalshi stays in place, according to the court filing reported in August 2025. (DeFi Rate legal tracker (opens in a new tab); Sixth Circuit opinion (opens in a new tab)) See also the Supreme Court petitions.

What Maryland Residents Can Trade Right Now

No court order stops Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX or Novig from offering sports contracts in Maryland, so sports, economics, politics, crypto and culture markets are open to residents on those platforms, subject to each app's own listings. OG does not offer sports contracts in Maryland; its other categories may be open.

Best prediction market platforms for Maryland residents

Status words below are as of October 3, 2026; court dates and open cases re-checked October 14, 2026. They describe whether a platform accepts Maryland residents, not whether trading is legal.

Kalshi — Available, dispute pending. Its welcome offer (Trade $25 and Get $25!, code RANKPREDICTS) is valid in Maryland. Open Kalshi (opens in a new tab). KalshiEX LLC has been a CFTC-designated contract market since November 2020 (CFTC release 8302-20 (opens in a new tab)).

Polymarket US — Available, dispute pending; Baltimore sued Polymarket and Kalshi on August 13, 2026. Its welcome offer (Deposit $10 get a $25 Trading Bonus!) is valid here. Open Polymarket US (opens in a new tab). Polymarket US runs through QCX LLC, a CFTC-designated contract market (CFTC listing (opens in a new tab)).

ProphetX — Available, dispute pending. Its welcome offer (Trade $50, Earn $75!) is valid here. Open ProphetX (opens in a new tab). A sports-first exchange, designated a contract market by the CFTC in June 2026, that also certified election contracts with the CFTC on September 2, 2026 (CFTC product filings (opens in a new tab)).

OG (by Crypto.com) — Sports contracts not offered in Maryland, and OG's welcome offer is not valid here.

Novig — Available, dispute pending. Its welcome offer (Deposit $10 Get $50 in Trade Credits!) is valid here. Open Novig (opens in a new tab). Novig (Ludlow Exchange, LLC) has been a CFTC-designated contract market since June 16, 2026 (CFTC listing (opens in a new tab)); its minimum age is 21.

Rebet — Not offered in Maryland: its sweepstakes rules exclude the state. Rebet is a sweepstakes app, not a CFTC-regulated exchange (Rebet sweepstakes rules).

Catie has funded and traded on all of these platforms herself. Offers are from the partner terms of October 1, 2026; terms apply.

Eligibility Checklist for Maryland Residents

  • Age: Kalshi's and Polymarket US's minimum age is 18; ProphetX's is 18, or the local age of majority if higher; Novig's is 21. OG's sign-up screen says 18. We recommend 21+.
  • Government ID and Social Security number for KYC.
  • US bank account or debit card.
  • Platforms check where you are physically located when you trade.

Tax Treatment for Maryland Residents

Local Sports Angle: Orioles, Ravens, Capitals, Wizards

If you want to trade event contracts on the Orioles, Ravens or Terrapins, Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig carry the status Available, dispute pending in Maryland. That could change when the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal or if the Supreme Court takes one of the pending cases. OG does not offer sports contracts here. We update this page when either happens.

What could change the status

Dates we are watching: Nevada's responses to the Robinhood and Crypto.com Supreme Court petitions are now due November 13 and 16, 2026 (both extended in October), and Kalshi's response to New Jersey's petition is due November 9, 2026 (deadlines can be extended); the earliest the Supreme Court could act on the petitions is a conference in December 2026 or January 2027 (our estimate, not a scheduled date); Kalshi asked the full Sixth Circuit to rehear the case on October 9, 2026, and the court has not ruled; the CFTC's October 9, 2026 interim final rule takes effect only when it is published in the Federal Register, which had not happened as of October 14, 2026; the Fourth Circuit has not yet ruled on Kalshi's appeal in its Maryland case, which covers Maryland. We re-check this page when any of these happen and log the change above.

Sources

Prediction markets in other states

§ References & Sources

  1. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) (opens in a new tab)— U.S. federal regulator
  2. CFTC Designated Contract Markets list (opens in a new tab)— CFTC
  3. 26 U.S. Code § 1256 — Section 1256 contracts marked to market (opens in a new tab)— Cornell Law / U.S. Code
  4. IRS Form 6781 — Gains and Losses From Section 1256 Contracts (opens in a new tab)— Internal Revenue Service
  5. National Council on Problem Gambling — 1-800-GAMBLER (opens in a new tab)— NCPG

Frequently asked questions

Are prediction markets legal in Maryland?

We don't give legal verdicts. Status as of October 3, 2026, with court dates re-checked October 14, 2026: Kalshi, Polymarket US, ProphetX and Novig: Available, dispute pending; OG: sports contracts not offered in Maryland. Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in August 2026. Nationally, federal appeals courts are split on sports event contracts, all at the preliminary-injunction stage, and three Supreme Court petitions are pending; none has been granted.

Can I use Kalshi in Maryland?

Status as of October 3, 2026: Available, dispute pending. Kalshi accepts Maryland residents; Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. Kalshi's welcome offer (Trade $25 and Get $25!) applies to Maryland residents. Kalshi's minimum age is 18; we recommend 21+.

What has Maryland done about prediction markets?

Maryland agreed not to enforce against Kalshi until the Fourth Circuit rules on Kalshi's appeal, and Baltimore sued Kalshi and Polymarket in Aug 2026. Most recent entries in our timeline: Aug 13, 2026: City of Baltimore sues Kalshi and Polymarket; Aug 13, 2025: Maryland pauses enforcement against Kalshi pending Fourth Circuit appeal; Aug 1, 2025: Federal judge denies Kalshi injunction in Maryland. Each entry above links to its source.

When will the Fourth Circuit rule on Kalshi's Maryland appeal?

No date is known. As of October 14, 2026 we found no ruling in KalshiEX v. Martin (No. 25-1892). Until it rules, Maryland's agreement not to enforce against Kalshi stays in place.

Is OG available in Maryland?

OG does not offer sports contracts in Maryland; its other categories may be open. Crypto.com said in December 2025 that it does not offer sports contracts there, and the OG welcome offer excludes Maryland.

What could change the status in Maryland?

Dates we are watching: Nevada's responses to the Robinhood and Crypto.com Supreme Court petitions are now due November 13 and 16, 2026 (both extended in October), and Kalshi's response to New Jersey's petition is due November 9, 2026 (deadlines can be extended); the earliest the Supreme Court could act on the petitions is a conference in December 2026 or January 2027 (our estimate, not a scheduled date); Kalshi asked the full Sixth Circuit to rehear the case on October 9, 2026, and the court has not ruled; the CFTC's October 9, 2026 interim final rule takes effect only when it is published in the Federal Register, which had not happened as of October 14, 2026; the Fourth Circuit has not yet ruled on Kalshi's appeal in its Maryland case, which covers Maryland. We re-check this page when any of these happen and log the change above.

More in Prediction markets