# Kalshi sports contracts under scrutiny Are sports bets legal on tribal lands? - **Source:** [ReadWrite](https://brifing.si/source/7a996b61-bc09-4e57-8483-78f2ad9dd914) - **Published:** 2026-07-13 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/7ad08467-9150-4e46-a614-f946f6683298 ## Kalshi sports contracts questioned The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals examined whether Kalshi Inc. and Robinhood Markets can continue offering sports event contracts on tribal lands. This follows the denial of a preliminary injunction request in the ongoing appeal case. ## Legal status on tribal lands Attorney Lester Marston argued that Kalshi's sports contracts become Class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act when conducted on tribal lands, thus violating federal law. ## Similarity to sports betting The court noted little practical difference between Kalshi's products and traditional sportsbooks. Kalshi's counsel maintained that contracts operate under a different legal regime than sports betting. ## Tribal gaming protections Marston argued that tribal gaming ordinances, tribal-state compacts, and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act function as a single regulatory system, challenging Kalshi's reliance on federal commodities regulation. ## Kalshi's defense Kalshi attorney Grant Mainland urged the court to decide the appeal on narrower grounds, stating that the tribes cannot sue under the provision they cited as no language in any compact was violated. ## Decision pending The court took the case under submission without issuing a ruling. This decision could determine the legal status of sports contracts on tribal lands and impact the financial services sector significantly. ## Sources covering this story - https://readwrite.com/ninth-circuit-judges-kalshi-sports-contracts-tribal-gaming-appeal/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._