Ohio bill would ban state officials and employees from prediction markets
An Ohio bill introduced Monday, May 18 would prohibit state government officials and employees from using prediction market platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket. The legislation bars trading event contracts, facilitating such transactions, or assisting others in doing so, covering both direct and indirect involvement. It defines event contracts broadly as financial instruments paying based on whether events occur. The bill targets potential conflicts of interest and insider advantages for public servants with access to non-public information. The proposal was reported by multiple Ohio outlets beginning May 18, with Spectrum News 1 noting Wednesday, May 21 as the introduction date.
Kalshi and Polymarket must now build Ohio-specific compliance overlays or geoblock public accounts there. Any failure gives House lawmakers a ready template for binding federal legislation with KYC mandates.
Joins parallel legislative pushes in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and a federal Senate ban, as the fourth distinct U.S. jurisdiction in under a week to target prediction market access by public officials, deepening the patchwork forcing Kalshi and Polymarket toward state-specific compliance overlays.