Kalshi rolls out selfie checks and login alerts to curb underage trading
Selfie checks for some users, stronger login security, and a new way to spot unauthorized access are at the center of Kalshi’s latest effort to keep minors off its prediction market, Axios reported. [1]
Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour said the company is rolling out measures it views as overdue, rather than waiting to be compelled. “We’re essentially proactively doing that before we’re required to do them because we think a lot of these measures are the right thing to do,” he said. [1]
As part of the changes, Kalshi requests selfies from certain users it deems at higher risk of problematic trading. [1] The company is also promoting two-factor authentication as a customer-protection step. [1] In addition, Kalshi has installed a tool that lets users see whether someone else has logged in using their information. [1]
Kalshi announced the new tools in May 2026 as part of its push to prevent minors from trading on the platform. [1] The move comes amid a broader legal fight over the regulation and jurisdiction of prediction markets: on 2025-03-29, Kalshi sued Nevada and New Jersey gaming regulators over cease orders, and on 2026-03-26 a judge temporarily barred Kalshi from operating in Nevada.
Mansour framed the latest steps as a bid to raise the bar. “The goal for Kalshi here is we want to set a … new state-of-the-art benchmark when it comes to customer protection,” he said. [1]
Timeline· Developing
The legal conflict over regulation and jurisdiction of prediction markets involving Kalshi, state authorities, and federal government agencies has escalated, culminating in a judge temporarily barring Kalshi from operating in Nevada, while Kalshi has introduced new tools to prevent minors from trading on its platform.
Federal administration voices support for prediction markets
Reports emerged that the Trump administration backed Kalshi and competitor Polymarket as several states moved to restrict or ban prediction markets, framing the issue as a national policy dispute. This signaled potential federal interest in the regulatory battles unfolding at the state level.
Nevada files suit seeking to block Kalshi market
Nevada's regulators sued Kalshi, alleging the company's sports-related prediction contracts amounted to unlicensed sports gambling and asking courts to block the market. The filing launched formal legal action challenging Kalshi's operations in the state.
Judge temporarily bars Kalshi from operating in Nevada
A court issued a temporary order preventing Kalshi from operating in Nevada while the state's legal challenge proceeded, effectively blocking the company's prediction market access to Nevada customers. The injunction marked an immediate operational impact from the lawsuit.
Kalshi sues Nevada and New Jersey regulators
In response to cease-and-desist orders and the Nevada action, Kalshi filed suit against Nevada and New Jersey gaming regulators, challenging their attempts to shut down its markets. The countersuit escalated the dispute into reciprocal litigation between the company and state authorities.
Court battle with Nevada Gaming Control Board continued
The legal fight continued as Kalshi and the Nevada Gaming Control Board engaged in ongoing court proceedings following the temporary block, with both sides litigating regulatory authority and the classification of prediction contracts. The continuing dispute kept Kalshi's Nevada operations in limbo.
Kalshi raises $1B and rolls out product and safety changes
Amid the regulatory battles, Kalshi confirmed a $1 billion funding round at a $22 billion valuation and announced product moves — including crypto deposit options and new tools to block minors — demonstrating financial backing and operational adjustments while litigation proceeded. The developments showed the company was pursuing growth and risk controls despite state bans.
Published May 4, 2026
Synthesized from 1 source