Court record documents Kalshi lawsuit against Louisiana officials filed Oct. 23
Key Facts
Federal court records for the Western District of Louisiana show that KalshiEX sued Liz Murrill and other state officials on Oct. 23, 2026. The move makes the company, rather than Louisiana authorities, the plaintiff in the case on record. The complaint seeks a declaratory judgment and a temporary restraining order, along with preliminary and permanent injunctions barring enforcement of state gambling and sports wagering laws. According to the case page, the suit rests on the argument that federal law preempts state law in this dispute. The move comes amid a broader debate over whether event contracts fall under local gambling rules or the federal commodities trading framework.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board previously issued an advisory notice on Dec. 10, 2025, concerning sports event contracts and other event contracts. The board said it considers some of these contracts illegal gambling under state law. It warned that direct or indirect participation in operating, offering or facilitating those contracts could affect licensees’ eligibility for licenses or permits in Louisiana. According to the board’s wording, the warning covers sports wagering licensees, permit holders and people associated with them. This shows that the state’s regulatory position on these contracts predates the lawsuit on record against its officials.
Louisiana law defines sports wagering as a sum of money or something of value risked by a player on an uncertain outcome tied to a sporting event. The law lists straight, parlay and in-game wagers among the forms of wagering. This definition provides a local basis for determining which contracts authorities may consider sports wagering. But the dispute in the Kalshi case also concerns the limits of the state’s authority to apply its laws to contracts offered by prediction markets. According to the case page, the company sought a ruling declaring a judicial position and orders barring enforcement of those laws against it.
Other disputes show differences in how states and companies characterize these markets. In a case in Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison described prediction markets as
gambling, plain and simple.