Is Polymarket Legal in the US? Status & How to Access (2026)

Is Polymarket legal in the US? Yes — through Polymarket US, a separate CFTC-regulated exchange that is legal at the federal level. It is open to US residents on iOS, Android and the web with full KYC, after the waitlist was dropped in May 2026. The international exchange at polymarket.com remains close-only for US IP addresses: existing positions can be closed, but no new trades can be opened.

The United States has the most complex Polymarket situation of any country. The international exchange is close-only for US users — positions can be closed, but no new trades opened — while a separate CFTC-regulated US exchange launched in December 2025, and is now caught in a fierce battle between federal regulators, state gambling commissions, and the courts.

Quick status — last updated September 2026:

• International exchange (polymarket.com): Close-only for US IP addresses — no new orders, though existing positions can be closed. No US signups.
• Polymarket US exchange: Waitlist removed in May 2026 — now open to US users on iOS, Android and the web (web still in beta). CFTC-regulated, full KYC required.
• Your state matters: Minnesota passed the first state ban on prediction markets, but a federal court enjoined it on July 27, 2026 — it is not in force. Several other states have issued cease-and-desist orders or filed suit; there is no confirmed first-party tally.
• Also available: Kalshi (CFTC-regulated) — a longer-established US venue with fiat funding.

Which US States Restrict Polymarket?

Federal CFTC approval has not settled the question at the state level. As of mid-2026, officials in numerous states have issued cease-and-desist orders or filed suit against prediction-market platforms — there is no confirmed first-party count — and Minnesota has gone furthest, passing an outright ban that a federal court has since enjoined. The most aggressive:

The legal picture is unusually fluid: states argue prediction markets are unlicensed gambling, while the CFTC is now suing states (Connecticut, Arizona, Illinois, and Minnesota) on the grounds that federal law preempts them. Courts have reached conflicting conclusions, so expect this to escalate to higher courts. Check your own state’s status before assuming access.

Current Status: Close-Only International, Open US Exchange

The international Polymarket exchange — the one with deep liquidity, no KYC, and wide market variety — is close-only for US IP addresses: existing positions can be closed, but no new trades can be opened. This has been the case since Polymarket’s 2022 CFTC settlement.

A separate Polymarket US exchange launched on December 2, 2025 with CFTC approval. After six months of invite-only access, Polymarket removed the waitlist in May 2026 — the app is now open to US users without an invite code, live on iOS and Android with the web version in beta.

The Regulatory Timeline

Polymarket’s US journey has been a rollercoaster:

2022: The CFTC Settlement

In January 2022, the CFTC ordered Polymarket (Blockratize, Inc.) to pay a $1.4 million penalty for operating an unregistered facility for event-based binary options. Polymarket was required to wind down non-compliant markets and cease US operations. The CFTC noted Polymarket’s “substantial cooperation” in reducing the penalty.

2024: The FBI Raid

On November 13, 2024, the FBI raided CEO Shayne Coplan’s New York apartment, seizing his phone and electronic devices. The DOJ was investigating whether Polymarket was allowing US users to trade on the international platform in violation of the 2022 settlement.

2025: DOJ Declines, QCEX Acquired, CFTC Approval

• July 2025: DOJ and CFTC formally ended their investigations without bringing charges. Polymarket received declination notices from both agencies.
• July 2025: Polymarket acquired QCEX (a CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange and clearinghouse) for $112 million, providing the regulatory foundation for a legal US return.
• October 2025: Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the NYSE, invested up to $2 billion in Polymarket at an ~$15 billion valuation.
• November 2025: The CFTC granted Polymarket an Amended Order of Designation, allowing it to operate as a fully regulated US platform.
• December 2025: The Polymarket US app launched — invite-only.

2026: State-Level Legal Challenges

While Polymarket won at the federal level, state gambling regulators are fighting back:

• Nevada: Filed a civil complaint in January 2026. A judge granted a temporary restraining order banning Polymarket from offering contracts to Nevada residents.
• Tennessee: Issued cease-and-desist orders in January 2026. A federal judge temporarily blocked Tennessee’s enforcement against Kalshi while considering federal preemption.
• Massachusetts: A judge ordered Kalshi to block state residents in February 2026. Polymarket then sued Massachusetts, arguing the CFTC has exclusive jurisdiction.
• Connecticut: Issued cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com on the day of Polymarket’s US launch.
• Illinois: Sent Polymarket a cease-and-desist in January 2026, calling its activity illegal gambling.
• Arizona: Filed 20 criminal counts against Kalshi for illegal gambling.

Numerous state officials have sent cease-and-desist orders or filed suit — there is no confirmed first-party tally of how many — with active litigation across multiple states. Courts have reached conflicting conclusions on whether federal CFTC approval preempts state gambling laws — this will likely need to be resolved by higher courts.

2026: MLB Deal and CFTC Rulemaking

• MLB named Polymarket as its exclusive prediction market exchange partner in a multi-year deal with access to official data feeds.
• The CFTC issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking soliciting public input on new prediction market rules.
• A bipartisan Senate bill — the “Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act” — was introduced to ban sports event contracts on CFTC-regulated platforms.
• April 2026: In a notable role reversal, the federal government (CFTC) sued Connecticut, Arizona, and Illinois, arguing that prediction markets fall under exclusive federal jurisdiction and that the states’ cease-and-desist actions are preempted.

2026: Waitlist Dropped and Minnesota’s Ban

• Polymarket removed its US waitlist around mid-May 2026, roughly six months after launch, opening the app to US users without an invite code. It has since expanded to iOS, Android and the web.
• Minnesota became the first state to pass an outright ban on prediction markets. Governor Tim Walz signed a law that was to take effect August 1, 2026, potentially exposing operators to felony charges, and the CFTC immediately sued Minnesota, seeking a preliminary injunction to block the ban, with the agency arguing the law “turns lawful operators and participants in prediction markets into felons overnight.” A federal court granted that injunction on July 27, 2026 (US v. Minnesota, No. 0:26-cv-02661) — the ban is not in force. Kalshi filed its own suit against the state.

How the Polymarket US Exchange Works

The Polymarket US exchange is fundamentally different from the international platform. Settlement is in US dollars (traditional fiat) — Polymarket US does not use crypto, and the pUSD stablecoin from the international exchange is not part of the US product. Accounts are funded directly by debit card, bank transfer (ACH) or wire transfer — with no crypto, no wallets and no FCM intermediary — and all deposits must come from accounts in your own name.

This page covers whether and how you can access Polymarket from the US — not the step-by-step mechanics of using the platform. For those, follow the guides: How to Sign Up for Polymarket for account creation, How to Deposit on Polymarket for funding, and How to Trade on Polymarket for placing and closing orders.

Looking for a country other than the US? The country availability guide covers the full list, and the country checker looks up any single country instantly.

Do You Need KYC for Polymarket US?

Yes — the Polymarket US exchange requires full identity verification (a CFTC requirement). To sign up you provide your full name, date of birth and residential address, plus:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• A government-issued photo ID and a live selfie check (conditional — most users are verified automatically in seconds; manual review can take 3–5 business days)

Verification is carried out by Socure, Polymarket’s KYC provider. This is the opposite of the international exchange, which has no KYC — you can sign up with just an email or Google account.

Is There Still a Polymarket US Waitlist?

No — the waitlist was removed in mid-May 2026. For its first six months (December 2025 to May 2026), the Polymarket US exchange was invite-only, and reported waits ranged from 1–2 weeks for the earliest December signups to 6–12 weeks for early-2026 signups. That waitlist has now been dissolved: the app is open to US users without an invite code, live on iOS and Android with the web version in beta.

The remaining gap is liquidity: the US exchange is still significantly lower-liquidity than the international platform. State actions like Minnesota’s ban (enjoined on July 27, 2026, so not in force) could also restrict access in specific states.

What About the International Exchange?

The international Polymarket exchange — the one this site primarily covers — is close-only for US IP addresses (Polymarket’s own geoblock). Polymarket uses a dedicated geoblock API that checks IPs against restricted countries before allowing any order submission.

The restriction is based solely on IP address — there is no KYC or identity verification on the international platform. Some users in restricted regions access international platforms by routing their internet connection through a different geographic location. This is a common practice for accessing global financial and information services.

Polymarket vs Kalshi: The US Prediction Market Battle

Kalshi is Polymarket’s main US competitor. Here’s how they compare:

Both platforms face the same state-level legal challenges and are both subject to the proposed Senate bill to ban sports event contracts.

The Bottom Line for US Residents

1. The international exchange is close-only. Access is restricted by IP address for US users — existing positions can be closed, but no new trades can be opened.
2. The US exchange is now open on iOS, Android and the web. The waitlist was removed in May 2026 — you can sign up directly with full KYC, with the web build still in beta.
3. State laws are a mess. Even with federal approval, your state may be trying to block prediction markets — Minnesota has passed an outright ban, though a federal court has enjoined it, so it is not in force. Check whether your state has taken action.
4. Kalshi is also available as a longer-established, fiat-funded US venue.
5. This is all evolving rapidly. The regulatory landscape is shifting month to month — the CFTC is now suing states to keep prediction markets open. We’ll keep this page updated.

Related Guides

• All Country Guides — Check availability for every country
• Country Availability Checker — Instant status lookup for 190+ countries
• How Does Polymarket Work? — Full introduction to the platform
• Who Owns Polymarket? — The company, the CFTC settlement, and the path back to the US
• How Prediction Markets Work — Understand the mechanics
• Polymarket vs Kalshi — Detailed comparison
• How to Sign Up for Polymarket — For the international exchange
• How to Deposit on Polymarket — Fund your account
• Polymarket Fee Calculator — Taker rates by category, worked examples and a live calculator