Polymarket agrees to halt Michigan sports event contracts

Polymarket US agreed to stop offering new sports-related event contracts to customers in Michigan and to close any remaining customer positions by the end of Nov. 25, under a court-approved agreement with the state.

QCX LLC, which operates as Polymarket US, must close positions that Michigan customers have not voluntarily exited by that deadline. Michigan agreed not to pursue enforcement action while the company complies with the stipulation approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

The arrangement follows Polymarket’s failed effort to block enforcement of Michigan gaming laws. The company sued state officials in March, but the court denied its request for a temporary restraining order that month and rejected a preliminary injunction in June. Its appeal remains pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

The Michigan Department of Attorney General told Polymarket on Sept. 10 that it would bring legal action unless the company stopped offering sports-related contracts to state residents. State law requires operators to hold Michigan Gaming Control Board licences before offering internet gaming or sports wagering in Michigan.

Michigan has treated the agreement as part of its campaign against operators that offer sports-wagering products as federally regulated prediction markets. The state has now secured either agreements or court orders stopping sports-related event contracts from Polymarket, Kalshi, Robinhood and Coinbase.

Michigan reached a similar agreement with Coinbase Financial Markets earlier this month, as we reported. That deal followed a state-court preliminary injunction against KalshiEX, while Robinhood Derivatives also reached a stipulation with the state.

Attorney General Dana Nessel said Michigan was holding the national sports-betting industry accountable to state law and that the attorney general’s office and the gaming board were seeking to ensure gambling was offered through licensed, regulated channels. Henry Williams said operators seeking to offer sports wagering to Michigan residents needed a Michigan licence.

The broader enforcement effort has also targeted offshore gambling sites. On Oct. 8, the gaming board sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 operators it said were offering online casino games, sweepstakes-style games or sports betting in Michigan without state licences.