WagerMintsWagerMintsbeta
No state action found

Is Kalshi legal in Texas?

As of October 27, 2026, we found no Texas lawsuit, order or letter that stops anyone from trading on Kalshi, Polymarket US, Robinhood, Coinbase or Crypto.com in the state. Texas bans most gambling, and the Lieutenant Governor has told the state Senate to study prediction markets before the legislature meets in January 2027. A Senate committee hearing on the topic was set for September 15, 2026.

Checked Oct 27, 2026 against court dockets and official pages. Not legal advice.

Kalshi in Texas

Status
No state action found
Latest step in Texas
Sep 15, 2026
State income tax
None
Gambling losses
No state income tax

Legal status

Where does Kalshi stand in Texas?

As of October 27, 2026, we found no Texas lawsuit, order or letter that stops anyone from trading on Kalshi, Polymarket US, Robinhood, Coinbase or Crypto.com in the state. Texas bans most gambling, and the Lieutenant Governor has told the state Senate to study prediction markets before the legislature meets in January 2027. A Senate committee hearing on the topic was set for September 15, 2026.

What happens next: Senate committee reports are expected before the legislature convenes in January 2027.

Same state

What else has happened in Texas?

Steps that name other platforms or the state's rules generally.
  1. Mar 27, 2026

    Governor · Texas Lieutenant Governor

    Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told the Senate State Affairs Committee to study prediction market gambling under the charge 'Closing Gambling Loopholes' and recommend ways to protect Texas elections and sports. This is a study order, not a rule against trading.

    2026 Interim Legislative Charges (Lt. Gov.)
  2. Sep 15, 2026

    Legislature · Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs

    The committee posted a public hearing notice for 9:00 a.m. on September 15, 2026 to take testimony on the prediction market charge. A hearing is not a law and does not change what traders can do.

    Senate notice of public hearing, State Affairs, Sept. 15, 2026

Your taxes

What does this mean for your Texas taxes?

Texas has no personal income tax, so the state doesn't tax your gambling winnings or short-term prediction market gains. You still owe federal tax.

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. Kalshi taxes, explained. All Texas 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 Kalshi in Texas

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.

Tax year
Up or down this year?
Open positions on December 31?
Add rough numbers (optional)

The AI can then work the methods out for your year. Round figures are enough.

Your prompt

2,304 characters

I trade prediction markets on Kalshi. I'm working on my US federal taxes for 2026. I live in Texas.

From WagerMints, checked November 3, 2026:
- Kalshi's Documents page says it does not report profits and losses to the IRS.
- Forms it may send: 1099-INT for interest, 1099-MISC for credits and rewards, 1099-B or 1099-DA for crypto transfers.
- Its Profit and Loss statement uses first in, first out, is split by year and updates on the first morning of each month.
- Reward credits only appear in the activity export, not the trades export.
- 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.

Texas: Texas has no personal income tax, so the state doesn't tax your gambling winnings or short-term prediction market gains. You still owe federal tax.

Read these pages:
- https://wagermints.com/kalshi-taxes
- https://wagermints.com/blog/how-kalshi-calculates-profit-and-loss
- https://wagermints.com/blog/how-to-report-kalshi-polymarket-taxes
- https://wagermints.com/state-taxes/texas
- https://wagermints.com/legal/kalshi/texas

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 Kalshi in Texas

Is Kalshi legal in Texas?

As of October 27, 2026, we found no Texas lawsuit, order or letter that stops anyone from trading on Kalshi, Polymarket US, Robinhood, Coinbase or Crypto.com in the state. Texas bans most gambling, and the Lieutenant Governor has told the state Senate to study prediction markets before the legislature meets in January 2027. A Senate committee hearing on the topic was set for September 15, 2026. This reports public records as of Oct 27, 2026, and it isn't legal advice.

Can I still trade on Kalshi in Texas?

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 Kalshi profit in Texas?

Yes, federal tax applies wherever you live. Texas has no personal income tax, so the state doesn't tax your gambling winnings or short-term prediction market gains. You still owe federal tax.

Does the Texas legal fight change how my trades are taxed?

No. These cases decide whether Texas 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