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Rules and licensingCzech Republic blocks Kalshi over unlicensed gambling rules
Czech internet service providers must block access to prediction market Kalshi following a Ministry of Finance order.
Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 3 October 2026
Internet service providers in the Czech Republic must block access to prediction market platform Kalshi. Local authorities placed the company on the official list of unauthorized gambling operators. Users in the country will lose standard access to the platform soon.
Regulatory crackdown on prediction markets
This decision follows a similar ban imposed against rival platform Polymarket earlier in the year. Czech regulators maintain that prediction markets constitute betting offers despite being marketed as financial tools. Local gambling trade bodies pushed for this enforcement action.
Financial instruments versus betting products
Kalshi and other prediction platforms treat event contracts as financial instruments regulated by federal authorities in the United States. European regulators hold a different view and classify these contracts as gambling products that require local licenses. Operators currently face hostile regulatory environments across most European nations.
Future outlook for prediction platforms
Prediction markets continue to generate massive trading volumes globally and seek substantial market valuations. Gibraltar remains an exception by introducing specific regulatory frameworks for these products. European authorities continue to insist that event contracts must follow standard player protection laws.
Bettors in the Czech Republic can no longer use Kalshi because local regulators classify prediction markets as illegal gambling.