Is Polymarket Legal in 2026? Regulation, Availability, and Geographic Restrictions

With so many new features, like Squads and exclusive bonuses, it’s common to ask is Polymarket legal? From our research, yes, the prediction market platform is permitted in the US. Currently, you can join from 36 US states, except Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Utah, and Washington.

If you are 18+ and from an accessible state, you should use our banners to sign up. Thereafter, deposit $10 and grab a $25 prediction market reward. You can then buy and sell event contracts for several real-world outcomes. These include sports, climate and crypto outcomes. Join us to see how the prediction model works in the states.

Is Polymarket accessible in the US?

As we covered in our Polymarket review, the brand is accessible in the US. We found that you can join from 36 US states, except Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Utah, and Washington. However, we recommend you double-check the availability in your specific state before registering.

Since Polymarket does not operate as a sportsbook and has no odds, it is not regulated as a traditional sportsbook. Instead, it operates a peer-to-peer exchange in which you trade on the outcomes of real-world events.

As a prediction market platform, Polymarket serves a Designated Contract Market (DCM) and Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversight. In a nutshell, the CFTC regulates the platform. Thus, Polymarket is federally accessible in most US states.

US states where Polymarket is available and legal

• Alaska
• Alabama
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Washington, D.C.
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia
• Vermont
• Wisconsin
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Prediction market model: Trade with the US app

Interestingly, you can only trade on Polymarket US with the dedicated apps. Initially, there was an iOS app, but now a standalone Android app is available as well. You can download these official apps from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

To understand how Polymarket works, you need to remember that the site does not set its own contracts or prices. Instead, all event contracts reflect the overall sentiment of other traders.

You are allowed to make trades in binary form (Yes or No). We found that prices range between $0.01 to $0.99. Correct contracts settle at $1, and losing outcomes close at $0. Every prediction position has two sides: someone who purchases the Yes position and someone who takes the No outcome.

The prices are depicted as probabilities for every contract. The higher the probability, the more likely traders believe the outcome will occur. For example, let’s say that an event contract has Dwayne Johnson to win the Oscar for Best Actor at $0.55. This means that for this specific market, Dwayne Johnson has a 55% probability of winning the Oscar.

Six main types of categories

When we first used the iOS app, we only had access to Polymarket sports markets. The good news is that recently, more market coverage has become available. Currently, you can use both apps to trade prediction positions for sports, climate, culture, crypto, economics and politics outcomes.

Browse the table below for insights into the different types of markets for each category:

Dive into prediction markets at Polymarket

Stay closer to Polymarket features on the mobile app

Getting started: How to join from a permitted state

Before trading on any markets, you must create a new account. Per the terms, you must be 18+ to use the app. In our experience, registering is quick with only a few steps to complete.

Here is a guide on how to join from a permitted state:

1. Click the links or banners to download either the iOS or Android app.

2. After the app has downloaded and installed, choose whether to register with your Google, Email or Apple account.

3. Enter your email address and create a password.

4. Read and accept the terms and conditions.

5. Verify your registration by entering the verification code sent to your email address.

6. Once you have signed up, you can fund your account and start buying and selling event contracts.

Follow our tips when making prediction trades in the US

We have shared some tips for making prediction trades on the Polymarket US app. Make sure you diarize these pointers so you can maximize your experiences.

Pros and cons: Polymarket US availability

Pros and Cons

• Permitted in most US states
• Easy to use standalone apps
• Lots of markets with high liquidity

• Not allowed in some states

Verdict – Polymarket is accessible in most US states

It is nice to see that Polymarket is now allowed in most US states. There have been many changes to the brand in recent times. The key takeaway now is that it is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Thanks to that compliance, you can join from the majority of states. However, there is an exception, and if you reside in Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Utah, or Washington, you cannot use the platform.

With all these updates, we hope that more improvements are made in the future. We would like to see prediction trading directly on the desktop website. Not everyone may have sufficient storage to download the standalone apps. Others may prefer the larger screen of their laptops. So a desktop website will accommodate more US users.

Before we wrap up, remember that the availability of prediction market platforms changes frequently. So, we suggest you always double-check the regulations in your state before joining Polymarket. If accessible, use our banners to fast-track your registration. Thereafter, make your first deposit of at least $10 and unlock a $25 reward.

Is Polymarket available FAQs