Is Polymarket legal in the US? Polymarket US vs the global site (2026)
Polymarket blocked Americans for three years, then returned with a CFTC-regulated US exchange in December 2025. What is legal now, what is not, and why VPNs are a bad idea.
In this article
Yes, Polymarket is legal for most Americans in 2026, through Polymarket US, a separate CFTC-regulated exchange that launched in December 2025. The original global Polymarket site is still closed to US residents. Which one you can use, and which markets, depends on where you live.
Status as of October 2026. State rules are changing quickly; the app checks your location.
Why Polymarket was banned in the US
In January 2022 Polymarket settled with the CFTC for offering event contracts to US users without registering as an exchange. It paid a $1.4 million penalty and blocked US users from the global site. Americans could still read the odds, but not trade.
How Polymarket came back
In 2025 Polymarket acquired a CFTC-licensed exchange and clearing house, the DOJ and CFTC closed their investigations without new charges, and the CFTC cleared the relaunch. Polymarket US opened in December 2025 as an app with full identity verification and dollar deposits. Since then it has added markets including sports and, in 2026, parlays (how parlays work).
Polymarket US vs the global site
| Polymarket US | Global Polymarket | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | US residents 18+ with KYC | Users outside the US (and other restricted countries) |
| Regulator | CFTC | Not US-regulated |
| Money | US dollars | pUSD (backed 1:1 by USDC) on Polygon |
| Markets | A large and growing subset | The full catalogue |
| Fees | Its own US schedule | Taker fees by category (fees compared) |
Is Polymarket legal in California, Texas and other states?
Federal approval does not end state gaming law. Like Kalshi, Polymarket US faces state actions over sports contracts: Nevada, Massachusetts and Tennessee have taken action, Rhode Island and Kentucky have sued, and Minnesota passed a ban that is being fought in federal court. Non-sports markets (politics, economics, culture) are available far more widely.
Searches for California and Texas are the most common; public trackers listed Polymarket US as available in both in October 2026 (is Polymarket legal in California?; is Polymarket legal in Texas?). The app shows what you can trade at your location, and that is the check that counts. Kalshi's situation is similar: see is Kalshi legal in your state.
Can you use a VPN for the global site?
Don't. The global site's terms prohibit US persons, it can freeze accounts it identifies as American, and you would be trading outside US protections. With Polymarket US available, there is no reason to take that risk.
Who owns Polymarket?
Polymarket was founded in 2020 by Shayne Coplan, who is still CEO. It is a private, venture-backed company; there is no public Polymarket stock. How it earns money is covered in how does Polymarket work.
Polymarket in the US: frequently asked questions
Can you use Polymarket in the US?
Yes, through the Polymarket US app, with identity verification. The global polymarket.com site remains closed to US residents.
Why was Polymarket banned in the US?
The CFTC found in 2022 that it offered event contracts to Americans without being a registered exchange. The settlement required it to block US users until it was properly licensed.
Is Polymarket gambling?
In the US, Polymarket US operates as a CFTC-regulated exchange where you trade with other users. Like Kalshi, its sports contracts are disputed by some states.
Is Polymarket publicly traded?
No. It is a private company.
Keep reading
- 2026 midterm election odds, live
- Who owns Polymarket?
- Kalshi and Polymarket withdrawals
- Kalshi vs Polymarket: which one to use
- How do prediction markets work?
- Follow live Polymarket odds on our markets page
- How to use Polymarket in the US, step by step
- Where is Polymarket legal? Country list
- News: Polymarket sues Ohio
