Is Polymarket legal in Wisconsin?
Polymarket US was sued by the state in April 2026; the case is in federal court in Madison.
Checked Oct 27, 2026 against court dockets and official pages. Not legal advice.
Polymarket in Wisconsin
- Status
- Being fought in court
- Latest step in Wisconsin
- Sep 21, 2026
- State income tax
- 3.5% to 7.65%
- Gambling losses
- No
Legal status
Where does Polymarket stand in Wisconsin?
As of October 27, 2026, no court order in Wisconsin stops Kalshi or other platforms, and none protects them. The state attorney general sued Kalshi, Polymarket and others in April 2026 over sports contracts, and those cases are in federal court in Madison. The Ho-Chunk Nation is also suing Kalshi, and Kalshi has asked the Seventh Circuit to review that case.
Polymarket · 1 step
What has happened with Polymarket in Wisconsin?
Apr 24, 2026
Attorney general · U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin · State of Wisconsin v. Kalshi, Inc. and State of Wisconsin v. QCX, LLC (Nos. 3:26-cv-00378 and 3:26-cv-00375)
The state's lawsuits, filed in Dane County court the week before, are on the federal docket in Madison. The state says sports event contracts are illegal gambling and a public nuisance.
CourtListener docket, State of Wisconsin v. Kalshi
Same state
What else has happened in Wisconsin?
Aug 20, 2025
Tribal suit · U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin · Ho-Chunk Nation v. Kalshi Inc. (No. 3:25-cv-00698)
The Ho-Chunk Nation sued Kalshi in federal court in Madison over sports contracts.
CourtListener docket, Ho-Chunk Nation v. KalshiAug 14, 2026
Court · U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin · Ludlow Exchange LLC v. Kaul (No. 3:26-cv-00761)
Ludlow Exchange sued Attorney General Josh Kaul in federal court.
CourtListener docket, Ludlow Exchange v. KaulSep 8, 2026
Court · U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin · Underdog Exchange DCM, Inc. v. Kaul (No. 3:26-cv-00858)
Underdog's exchange sued Attorney General Kaul in federal court.
CourtListener docket, Underdog v. KaulSep 21, 2026
Court · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · Kalshi Inc. v. Ho-Chunk Nation (No. 26-8020)
Kalshi opened an appeal-related matter at the Seventh Circuit in the Ho-Chunk case.
CourtListener docket, Seventh Circuit No. 26-8020
Your taxes
What does this mean for your Wisconsin taxes?
Wisconsin taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (3.5% to 7.65%). It doesn't let you deduct gambling losses, so gambling winnings are taxed in full on your state return.
Wisconsin's income tax rates for 2026 run from 3.5% to 7.65%, depending on income.
Wisconsin doesn't let casual gamblers deduct gambling losses. Wins and losses inside one session net out, but a losing session can't reduce your Wisconsin income, and gambling losses can't be used for the Wisconsin itemized deduction credit.
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. Polymarket taxes, explained. All Wisconsin 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 Polymarket in Wisconsin
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.
Add rough numbers (optional)
The AI can then work the methods out for your year. Round figures are enough.
Your prompt
2,227 characters
I trade prediction markets on Polymarket US. I'm working on my US federal taxes for 2026. I live in Wisconsin. From WagerMints, checked November 3, 2026: - Polymarket US is a separate, CFTC-regulated exchange from polymarket.com. - We haven't been able to confirm what Polymarket US reports to the IRS, so check the account's documents. - 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. Wisconsin: Wisconsin taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (3.5% to 7.65%). It doesn't let you deduct gambling losses, so gambling winnings are taxed in full on your state return. Legal status there: As of October 27, 2026, no court order in Wisconsin stops Kalshi or other platforms, and none protects them. Read these pages: - https://wagermints.com/polymarket-taxes - https://wagermints.com/blog/how-to-report-kalshi-polymarket-taxes - https://wagermints.com/state-taxes/wisconsin - https://wagermints.com/legal/polymarket/wisconsin 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 Polymarket in Wisconsin
Is Polymarket legal in Wisconsin?
Polymarket US was sued by the state in April 2026; the case is in federal court in Madison. This reports public records as of Oct 27, 2026, and it isn't legal advice.
Can I still trade on Polymarket in Wisconsin?
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 Polymarket profit in Wisconsin?
Yes, federal tax applies wherever you live. Wisconsin taxes gambling winnings and prediction market profits as income (3.5% to 7.65%). It doesn't let you deduct gambling losses, so gambling winnings are taxed in full on your state return.
Does the Wisconsin legal fight change how my trades are taxed?
No. These cases decide whether Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: Kalshi, Underdog.
Polymarket in other states: Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, and the full list.
See your own year four ways
Whatever your state decides, your tax year still has to be filed. See it under all four methods.
Run your reportSources
- CourtListener docket, Ho-Chunk Nation v. Kalshi
- CourtListener docket, State of Wisconsin v. Kalshi
- CourtListener docket, Ludlow Exchange v. Kaul
- CourtListener docket, Underdog v. Kaul
- CourtListener docket, Seventh Circuit No. 26-8020
- IRS Publication 525 (illegal income)
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Publication 600 Wisconsin Taxation of Gambling Income (03/26), as quoted in search results
- Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission, Docket 09-i-261 (casino losses not allowed; Wis. Stat. 71.05(6)(b)5), as quoted in search results
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, 2025 Form 1 Instructions and 1-ES (Act 15 bracket change), as described by search result
- TaxAct blog, What is Wisconsin income tax (secondary, rates and bracket amounts)
Public records as of Oct 27, 2026. This isn’t legal or tax advice. For your own position, ask a lawyer licensed in Wisconsin.