Is Robinhood legal in Washington?
Robinhood Derivatives sued the Washington Gambling Commission director in federal court on March 30, 2026; no ruling was found.
Checked Oct 27, 2026 against court dockets and official pages. Not legal advice.
Robinhood in Washington
- Status
- Being fought in court
- Latest step in Washington
- Sep 23, 2026
- State income tax
- None
- Gambling losses
- No state income tax
Legal status
Where does Robinhood stand in Washington?
As of October 27, 2026, a Washington state judge has ordered Kalshi to stop offering wagers on sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions to people in Washington, with a multi-source geofence required by September 2. The order is a preliminary injunction, and Kalshi is appealing. Crypto.com, Robinhood, Novig and Underdog have each sued Washington officials in federal court, and no ruling in those cases was found.
What happens next: The Ninth Circuit appeal (No. 26-3106) waits on the Nevada mandates, and the King County case continues toward a final ruling; no dates were confirmed.
Robinhood · 1 step
What has happened with Robinhood in Washington?
Mar 30, 2026
Court · U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington · Robinhood Derivatives LLC v. Griffin (No. 3:26-cv-05311)
Robinhood Derivatives sued the director of the state Gambling Commission, asking a federal judge to bar enforcement of state gambling law against its event contracts.
CourtListener docket, Robinhood Derivatives v. Griffin
Same state
What else has happened in Washington?
Mar 27, 2026
Attorney general · Washington Attorney General · State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC (King County Superior Court)
Attorney General Nick Brown sued Kalshi in state court under the state Gambling Act and Consumer Protection Act, asking the court to stop the activity, recover money lost by Washingtonians and assess penalties.
Washington AG press release, Mar. 27, 2026May 5, 2026
Court · U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington · State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC (No. 2:26-cv-01062)
After Kalshi moved the state's suit to federal court, a federal judge sent it back to King County Superior Court. Kalshi appealed, and on May 21 the Ninth Circuit denied its request to pause the remand.
CourtListener docket, State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLCJul 21, 2026
Attorney general · Washington Attorney General · State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC (King County Superior Court)
The attorney general announced that the state judge granted a preliminary injunction on July 20, finding Kalshi likely violated the Gambling Act and the Consumer Protection Act.
Washington AG press release, July 21, 2026Aug 13, 2026
Attorney general · Washington Attorney General · State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC (King County Superior Court)
The attorney general announced the court's order barring Kalshi from wagers on sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions in Washington. Kalshi had to add an IP-based geofence by August 19 and a multi-source geofence by September 2, and the Court of Appeals had denied its request to stay the order.
Washington AG press release, Aug. 13, 2026Sep 23, 2026
Court · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · State of Washington v. KalshiEX, LLC (No. 26-3106)
The Ninth Circuit paused Kalshi's appeal of the remand order until 30 days after its mandates issue in the Nevada cases, so the state-court injunction continues meanwhile.
CourtListener docket, Ninth Circuit No. 26-3106
Your taxes
What does this mean for your Washington taxes?
Washington 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. Robinhood taxes, explained. All Washington 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 Robinhood in Washington
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.
Add rough numbers (optional)
The AI can then work the methods out for your year. Round figures are enough.
Your prompt
2,534 characters
I trade prediction markets on Robinhood. I'm working on my US federal taxes for 2026. I live in Washington. From WagerMints, checked November 3, 2026: - No 1099 for event contract trades. Robinhood's help page says so directly, and says the trades aren't reported to the IRS. - An event contracts annual statement, usually in late January or early February, listing every trade, closing dates, costs, proceeds, fees and net profit or loss. Robinhood calls it the authoritative record and says it is not a substitute tax reporting form. - 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. Washington: Washington 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. Legal status there: As of October 27, 2026, a Washington state judge has ordered Kalshi to stop offering wagers on sports, elections, politics, entertainment, culture, tech and science, and mentions to people in Washington, with a multi-source geofence required by September 2. Read these pages: - https://wagermints.com/taxes/robinhood - https://wagermints.com/blog/how-to-report-kalshi-polymarket-taxes - https://wagermints.com/state-taxes/washington - https://wagermints.com/legal/robinhood/washington 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 Robinhood in Washington
Is Robinhood legal in Washington?
Robinhood Derivatives sued the Washington Gambling Commission director in federal court on March 30, 2026; no ruling was found. This reports public records as of Oct 27, 2026, and it isn't legal advice.
Can I still trade on Robinhood in Washington?
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 Robinhood profit in Washington?
Yes, federal tax applies wherever you live. Washington 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 Washington legal fight change how my trades are taxed?
No. These cases decide whether Washington 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
Other platforms in Washington: Kalshi.
Robinhood in other states: California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, and the full list.
See your own year four ways
Whatever your state decides, your tax year still has to be filed. See it under all four methods.
Run your reportSources
- Washington AG press release, Mar. 27, 2026
- CourtListener docket, Robinhood Derivatives v. Griffin
- CourtListener docket, State of Washington v. KalshiEX LLC
- Washington AG press release, July 21, 2026
- Washington AG press release, Aug. 13, 2026
- CourtListener docket, Ninth Circuit No. 26-3106
- IRS Publication 525 (illegal income)
- Washington Department of Revenue, Capital gains tax
- Washington Department of Revenue, New tiered rates for Washington's capital gains tax (special notice)
- Washington State Register WSR 23-02-025, WAC 458-20-300 (long-term capital asset, as described by search result)
- CPA Practice Advisor, Washington governor signs high-earners income tax (secondary)
Public records as of Oct 27, 2026. This isn’t legal or tax advice. For your own position, ask a lawyer licensed in Washington.