CFTC Probes Kalshi 'Mention Markets' As Platform Pulls Sports Bets
On Thursday, August 13, 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened a review into "mention markets" on prediction platforms, and Kalshi removed all sports-related mention markets from its site until further notice.[1]
Sports wagers make up more than 80% of the billions of dollars traded weekly on Kalshi, and mention markets had become a significant part of that category. Kalshi says it detected and reported trading by President Trump's longtime teleprompter operator after that person used the platform to profit from bets on the president's word choices.[1]
Disclosure that the teleprompter operator used Kalshi to profit from bets on the president's word choices prompted the CFTC review, according to people with direct knowledge.[1] Regulators are now scrutinizing wagers tied to whether a public figure says a specific word amid concerns about insider knowledge and manipulation.
Removing sports mention markets strips out a large share of Kalshi's trading volume and could reverberate across the small but fast-growing prediction market industry. Kalshi says it reported the flagged account to regulators and pulled the markets while the review proceeds.
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- As of August 13, 2026, the CFTC has opened a review into 'mention markets' on prediction platforms, according to people with direct knowledge.
- In response, Kalshi has removed all sports-related mention markets from its site 'until further notice.'
- Sports wagers make up more than 80% of the billions of dollars traded weekly on Kalshi, and mention markets had become a significant part of that category.
- The probe follows disclosure that President Trump’s longtime teleprompter operator used Kalshi to profit from bets on the president’s word choices, activity Kalshi says it detected and reported.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time