Utah Files 14 Criminal Charges Against Kalshi and Its CEO

Utah has filed 14 criminal charges against prediction market Kalshi and two of its top executives, accusing the company of illegally promoting online gambling, according to The Verge, which cites reporting from The Salt Lake Tribune and the Associated Press.

What charges did Utah file against Kalshi?

The state's filing includes 12 counts of illegally promoting online gambling, Utah prosecutors say, as part of a broader set of 14 charges brought against the company, The Verge reports. Utah had already sued Kalshi separately over claims it is operating illegally within the state before adding the criminal charges.

Who else is named in the case?

The charges also name Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour and chief operating officer Luana Lopes Lara individually, according to the report. Neither executive's response to the charges is detailed in the available reporting.

"12 counts of illegally promoting online gambling" — the core of Utah's filing against Kalshi, as described in The Verge's reporting.

How does this fit into the broader legal fight over prediction markets?

Utah's move marks an escalation in a nationwide effort by states to apply gambling statutes to platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, which let users trade contracts tied to the outcomes of elections, sports, and other events. Utah has joined New York, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Connecticut, and other states in taking legal action against Kalshi, per The Verge. New York and Kentucky have separately sued Polymarket.

What happened with Arizona's earlier case?

Arizona became the first state to bring criminal charges against Kalshi in March, but a federal judge later blocked that case, The Verge reports. The outcome sets a potential precedent that Kalshi's attorneys are likely to invoke as Utah's charges move through the courts, though the report does not detail the judge's specific reasoning or whether it would bind a Utah court.

Where does the CFTC stand on all this?

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is separately engaged in litigation tied to prediction markets, according to The Verge, which frames the regulatory landscape as unsettled while state attorneys general and a federal commission pursue overlapping — and at times conflicting — claims about who has authority over platforms like Kalshi.

Timeline

• March 2026 — Arizona files the first criminal charges against Kalshi; a federal judge later blocks the case.
• Earlier in 2026 — Utah, along with New York, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Connecticut, files civil suits against Kalshi over its operations.
• New York and Kentucky — File separate suits against rival platform Polymarket.
• Oct. 29, 2026 — Utah files 14 criminal charges against Kalshi, Mansour, and Lopes Lara.

What to watch

• Whether Kalshi's lawyers cite the Arizona ruling to challenge Utah's case.
• How the CFTC's pending litigation affects state authority to prosecute prediction markets.
• Whether other states add criminal charges on top of existing civil suits.
• Any formal response from Mansour, Lopes Lara, or Kalshi's legal team.

The Verge's coverage does not include a direct statement from Kalshi, Mansour, or Lopes Lara on the Utah charges.