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Being fought in court

Is Kalshi legal in Massachusetts?

Kalshi is the defendant in the state's case, now at the Supreme Judicial Court (No. SJC-13906).

Checked Oct 27, 2026 against court dockets and official pages. Not legal advice.

Kalshi in Massachusetts

Status
Being fought in court
Latest step in Massachusetts
Sep 8, 2026
State income tax
5% (8.5% on short-term gains)
Gambling losses
Limited

Legal status

Where does Kalshi stand in Massachusetts?

As of October 27, 2026, the Massachusetts attorney general's lawsuit against Kalshi over sports contracts is before the state's Supreme Judicial Court, which is reviewing a lower court's decision against Kalshi. We couldn't confirm from a court record what that decision currently requires of Kalshi. Other platforms have federal suits against the state, and we found no ruling in them.

What happens next: The Supreme Judicial Court hasn't ruled, and no decision date is set.

Kalshi · 2 steps

What has happened with Kalshi in Massachusetts?

Oldest first. Each links to the filing or page it comes from.
  1. Sep 16, 2025

    Court · U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts · Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. KalshiEX LLC (No. 1:25-cv-12595)

    Massachusetts' case against Kalshi, filed in state court, was moved to federal court. The federal docket shows it closed on October 28, 2025, when it went back to the state court.

    CourtListener docket, Commonwealth v. KalshiEX
  2. Apr 24, 2026

    Court · Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. KalshiEx LLC (SJC-13906)

    The CFTC filed a friend-of-the-court brief arguing federal law governs Kalshi's contracts, in the Supreme Judicial Court's review of the lower court's decision against Kalshi. A separate brief from 38 attorneys general backs Massachusetts. Neither changes what traders can do.

    CFTC press release on its SJC amicus brief

Same state

What else has happened in Massachusetts?

Steps that name other platforms or the state's rules generally.
  1. Sep 15, 2025

    Court · U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts · Robinhood Derivatives, LLC v. Campbell (No. 1:25-cv-12578)

    Robinhood Derivatives sued the Massachusetts attorney general in federal court. The case was closed on March 13, 2026, and Robinhood appealed to the First Circuit (No. 26-1257, opened March 23, 2026).

    CourtListener docket, Robinhood Derivatives v. Campbell
  2. Feb 9, 2026

    Court · U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts · QCX LLC v. Campbell (No. 1:26-cv-10651)

    Polymarket US sued the Massachusetts attorney general in federal court. The case was closed on March 5, 2026.

    CourtListener docket, QCX v. Campbell
  3. Aug 6, 2026

    Court · U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts · Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Campbell (No. 1:26-cv-13615)

    Novig's operator sued the Massachusetts attorney general in federal court.

    CourtListener docket, Ludlow Exchange v. Campbell
  4. Sep 8, 2026

    Court · U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts · Underdog Exchange DCM, Inc. v. Campbell (No. 1:26-cv-14098)

    Underdog's exchange sued the Massachusetts attorney general in federal court.

    CourtListener docket, Underdog v. Campbell

Your taxes

What does this mean for your Massachusetts taxes?

Massachusetts taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (5% (8.5% on short-term gains)). It allows gambling losses only in limited cases.

Massachusetts taxes most income at 5% for 2026, including long-term capital gains. Short-term capital gains are taxed at 8.5% and collectibles gains at 12% (with a 50% deduction). A 4% surtax applies to income over $1,107,750 for 2026 ($1,083,150 for 2025).

Massachusetts allows a limited deduction for gambling losses. Only losses at a casino licensed under MGL ch. 23K, a racing or simulcasting licensee, or (from 2024) a sports wagering operator licensed under ch. 23N count, and only up to winnings from those sources. Losses at out-of-state casinos, with non-Massachusetts operators, and on the Massachusetts state lottery are not deductible.

Federal tax applies wherever you live. The IRS hasn’t said how event contracts are taxed, so traders use one of four methods: capital gains, Section 1256, ordinary income or gambling. Kalshi taxes, explained. All Massachusetts tax rules.

A court fight doesn’t change what you already owe. Positions you closed still count in the year they closed, so download your records now, whatever happens with access in your state.

Ask your AI

Ask your AI about Kalshi in Massachusetts

Answer a few questions and we write the prompt for ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity or any AI. It carries the four tax methods, your state’s rule and links to the pages behind them, checked November 3, 2026. Or run your actual trades for exact figures, free.

Tax year
Up or down this year?
Open positions on December 31?
Add rough numbers (optional)

The AI can then work the methods out for your year. Round figures are enough.

Your prompt

2,580 characters

I trade prediction markets on Kalshi. I'm working on my US federal taxes for 2026. I live in Massachusetts.

From WagerMints, checked November 3, 2026:
- Kalshi's Documents page says it does not report profits and losses to the IRS.
- Forms it may send: 1099-INT for interest, 1099-MISC for credits and rewards, 1099-B or 1099-DA for crypto transfers.
- Its Profit and Loss statement uses first in, first out, is split by year and updates on the first morning of each month.
- Reward credits only appear in the activity export, not the trades export.
- The IRS has published no guidance on how event contracts are taxed.

Four ways traders report this:
1. Capital gains: Form 8949 and Schedule D, short- or long-term by holding period. Net losses offset up to $3,000 of other income a year, and the rest carries forward.
2. Section 1256: Form 6781, 60% long-term and 40% short-term however long I held. Positions open on December 31 count as sold at that day's value. Disputed: Camuso and Mukherjee (Tax Notes Federal, June 2026) conclude it isn't available, White & Case argues for it, and the CFTC's October 2026 proposal to call event contracts swaps cuts against it, because Section 1256 excludes swaps.
3. Ordinary income: net result on Schedule 1, line 8z.
4. Gambling: winnings on Schedule 1, line 8b. Losses only on Schedule A if I itemize, only up to winnings, and only 90% of them from 2026.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (5% (8.5% on short-term gains)). It allows gambling losses only in limited cases.
Legal status there: As of October 27, 2026, the Massachusetts attorney general's lawsuit against Kalshi over sports contracts is before the state's Supreme Judicial Court, which is reviewing a lower court's decision against Kalshi.

Read these pages:
- https://wagermints.com/kalshi-taxes
- https://wagermints.com/blog/how-kalshi-calculates-profit-and-loss
- https://wagermints.com/blog/how-to-report-kalshi-polymarket-taxes
- https://wagermints.com/state-taxes/massachusetts
- https://wagermints.com/legal/kalshi/massachusetts

My question: How would my year come out under each of the four methods?

How to answer:
- Say which links you opened, and never describe one you didn't open. If one fails, use the facts above and say so.
- Mark each point [linked source], [general tax rule] or [unsettled].
- Put the methods side by side in one table for my year, and state any number you assume.
- Don't pick a method for me. End with questions for a CPA or enrolled agent, then anything you need from me.

WagerMints doesn’t see or store what you type here. The prompt goes to the AI you pick, under that company’s terms. Never add your Social Security number, API keys or wallet keys. AI answers can be wrong, so check them against the linked sources and a preparer.

Questions

Questions about Kalshi in Massachusetts

Is Kalshi legal in Massachusetts?

Kalshi is the defendant in the state's case, now at the Supreme Judicial Court (No. SJC-13906). This reports public records as of Oct 27, 2026, and it isn't legal advice.

Can I still trade on Kalshi in Massachusetts?

Check the app, because platforms change what they offer by state and by contract type. This page tracks court and regulator actions, not each platform's product list.

Do I owe tax on Kalshi profit in Massachusetts?

Yes, federal tax applies wherever you live. Massachusetts taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (5% (8.5% on short-term gains)). It allows gambling losses only in limited cases.

Does the Massachusetts legal fight change how my trades are taxed?

No. These cases decide whether Massachusetts can license or stop the platforms. They don't decide how your trades are taxed. IRS Publication 525 says income from illegal activities must be reported too, so a state's win wouldn't remove tax on profit you already made.

More

Other pages on this

Other platforms in Massachusetts: Polymarket, Robinhood, Underdog, Novig.

Kalshi in other states: Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and the full list.