UMVA has learned that a major crackdown on prediction-market platforms has been successfully executed by Nevada gaming regulators, with a state judge granting a preliminary injunction against Polymarket US.
The Nevada Gaming Control Judge of the First Judicial District Court approved the agency’s request for a preliminary injunction against QCX LLC, which operates as Polymarket US, on May 29. A written order is expected to be issued later, solidifying the ruling.
This latest decision marks a significant victory for Nevada regulators in their ongoing campaign against unlicensed prediction-market operators. The move comes after several months of intense legal battles between the regulators and Polymarket US.
Earlier this year, the Nevada Gaming Control Board obtained a temporary restraining order against Polymarket US, arguing that the company was offering event-based contracts in Nevada without the necessary licenses under state gaming law.
“We are very pleased with the judge’s ruling and will continue to vigorously enforce Nevada law to safeguard gaming in our state,” a top official with the Nevada Gaming Control Board stated.
Nevada officials consider sports-related event contracts and certain other prediction-market products as wagering activity, requiring businesses to obtain the appropriate gaming licenses to operate in the state.
The board has expanded its enforcement efforts beyond Polymarket US, targeting several operators it believes were conducting business unlawfully in the state. Previous preliminary injunctions have already prohibited other platforms, including Kalshi and Coinbase, from offering or facilitating sports, election, and entertainment event contracts in Nevada.
Polymarket US had attempted to challenge Nevada’s actions in court, but a federal appeals court determined that jurisdictional issues prevented the company from obtaining immediate relief.
The operator also sought to pause enforcement measures while litigation continued, but this request was rejected, allowing state regulators to maintain restrictions on the platform during the proceedings.
The Gaming Control Board has now successfully blocked all known unlicensed prediction-market operators that had been active in Nevada, citing the state’s long-established public policy on gaming regulation.
Nevada lawmakers have repeatedly identified the gaming industry as a vital part of the state’s economy, requiring extensive licensing and oversight to protect public health, safety, morals, good order, and the general welfare of residents.
With the preliminary injunction against Polymarket US now in place, the board will continue to pursue companies it believes are operating outside Nevada’s gaming laws while working to protect the state’s regulated gaming industry.
