Kalshi bolsters US lobbying efforts with new DC office

Prediction markets platform Kalshi has established a new office in Washington, D.C., to strengthen its strategic lobbying efforts with the U.S. government. To lead this initiative, Kalshi hired John Bivona, a political strategist with experience as the first White House liaison at the Department of Homeland Security, as its head of federal government relations. Additionally, Blake Bee, formerly of Amazon's public policy team, was hired to manage state policy efforts. Kalshi, which is regulated by the CFTC, is currently the world's largest prediction market by monthly volume, significantly outpacing rivals like Polymarket. Despite its federal licensing, Kalshi faces significant state-level regulatory challenges, with several states taking enforcement actions claiming its sports event contracts constitute unlicensed sports gambling. Legal outcomes vary, as seen in Nevada where a judge ruled Kalshi must comply with state gaming rules, while in Tennessee, a federal judge temporarily halted state efforts to block its contracts.

(Source：The Block)