Four Prediction Market Sites Exit Ohio
Mike Goodpaster Published 10/11/2026
Prediction market sites Moomoo, Robinhood, Coinbase, and Gemini have all made the decision to remove their sports-event products from Ohio. These decisions were made following cease-and-desist orders that were sent by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), the state gambling regulatory body, to 10 prediction market sites operating in the Buckeye State.
Robinhood was the first site to halt its sports-event contracts on October 26. Most recently, Coinbase made a similar commitment, setting it to take effect on November 13. Meanwhile, two other sites, Polymarket and Underdog, are both challenging the Ohio order in court rather than comply with it. The OCCC has cautioned that any group aiding these unlicensed prediction market platforms would risk sanctions, including the loss of their operating licenses.
Half of Ohio's prediction market sites are complying with the order
The decisions to halt offering sports-event contracts made by Robinhood, Coinbase, Gemini, and Moomoo Financial brought to five the number of prediction market sites that are opting to adhere to the cease-and-desist order from the OCCC. Compliance was previously obtained from Plus500US on October 21.
However, that covers only five of the 10 prediction market sites currently operating in Ohio. The other five sites so far haven't halted their sports-event contract platforms from operating in the Buckeye State.
The OCCC is continuing negotiations with Novig, ProphetX and Webull to gain compliance on this matter from these sites.
The cease-and-desist letters from the OCCC made the demand that each prediction market site stop offering sports-event contracts in the Ohio market. The order called for this compliance to be confirmed in writing by Oct. 16. The OCCC stated in the letter that sports-event contracts meet Ohio’s definition of sports gaming. Therefore, they require a state license.
Underdog and Polymarket are taking Ohio to court
Prediction market sites Underdog and Polymarket aren't going quietly into that goodnight. Both companies have filed lawsuits against the state of Ohio.
In its lawsuit, Polymarket is contending that Ohio's requirements for physical presence and in-state servers amount to discrimination against interstate commerce. The lawsuit was filed on October 16. That was the date that the OCCC set in its cease-and-desist letters for the prediction market sites to halt offering sports-event contracts in the state.
Polymarket's suit names as defendants Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, OCC interim executive director Andromeda Morrison, and seven other OCCC members.
Lawyers representing Polymarket are asking the court to prevent the OCCC from enforcing state laws against prediction market sports-event contracts. They argue these sites are already under federal regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As well, Polymarket is asking the court to declare Ohio’s laws relating to sports-event contracts unconstitutional.
In September, Underdog also filed suit, naming Wilson, Morrison, and the same seven OCCC commissioners as defendants. Their suit aims to prevent the Attorney General of Ohio and the members and officials of the Ohio Casino Control Commission from unlawfully exercising jurisdiction over, regulating, or terminating Underdog’s offering of lawful derivatives contracts on federally regulated markets.
This all started with a court case
The entire Ohio escapade against prediction market sites began with a court case against Kalshi. Before the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Kalshi's lawyers argued that its sports-event contracts are federally regulated swaps under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA). They further argued that this would grant the CFTC exclusive jurisdiction and preempt state gambling laws.
However, a three-judge panel found that Kalshi's sports contracts do not qualify as exempt swaps under the CEA. Furthermore, federal commodities law does not prevent Ohio from enforcing its own sports gambling and gaming regulations.