Prediction market leader Kalshi continues to allow users as young as 18 on its platform but is adding new safeguards for those under 21, according to Reuters.
- Younger Kalshi users will now have deposit limits and diversification alerts.
- The new measures come amid debate over whether prediction markets should require users to be at least 21.
- Novig and Fanatics voluntarily maintain a minimum age of 21 for their platforms.
Kalshi has consistently argued that its event contracts do not constitute gambling. Unlike state-licensed sportsbooks and casinos, the platform operates under a different regulatory framework.
“Like the stock exchange, Kalshi is available only to traders 18 and older,” Luana Lopes Lara, chief operating officer and cofounder of Kalshi, said, while noting that new traders need education and safety measures.
Kalshi confirmed Tuesday that it has introduced new safeguards for traders aged 18 to 20.
Users in that age range now face a $2,500 monthly deposit limit. Kalshi will also alert users with balances exceeding $1,000 if they allocate more than 25% of their funds to a single trade.
Kalshi also partnered with online safety organizations Parent ProTech and ConnectSafely, which will publish guides to prediction markets for parents.
How much younger users are trading
As prediction market sites have exploded in popularity, trading by adults under 21 has drawn increased scrutiny because most states set a minimum age of 21 for sports betting.
A CNN analysis published in August estimated that Kalshi users aged 18 to 20 had generated $5.4 billion in trading volume so far in 2026. The estimate did not cover other platforms such as Polymarket, DraftKings Predictions, and Underdog.
Sports event contracts and combos (parlays) accounted for about 80% of Kalshi’s overall trading volume, according to CNN. The analysis estimated that users aged 18 to 20 generated $3.9 billion in trading volume across those categories.
A Kalshi spokesperson told CNN that users aged 18 to 20 accounted for 3.14% of the platform’s total trading volume at the time.
Sports betting platforms have emphasized the need for responsible gaming tools. Prediction markets have begun to follow suit, with Kalshi now setting a precedent as the industry leader in activity.
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Disagreement over age minimums
American Gaming Association president Bill Miller has criticized prediction market platforms for allowing users under 21 to trade on sports.
“Most parents and grandparents don’t realize that the ‘prediction markets’ are offering a backdoor into sports betting in jurisdictions where the legal betting age is 21,” Miller told CNN. “This means their freshman son or daughter is prohibited from entering legal sportsbooks, but now they can just pull out their phone and use Kalshi to bet on football.”
Not all prediction market operators allow users under 21. Sports-only platform Novig and Fanatics maintain voluntary 21-year age minimums to remain aligned with state sportsbook standards.
“We listened to the concerns of the NCAA and other professional sports leagues,” Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky told CNN, while noting that college-age adults were especially susceptible to irresponsible financial decisions. “We want to be a good partner to these leagues and be a good steward in the prediction space.”
