The Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic has officially added US prediction markets operator Kalshi to its register of unauthorised gambling operators. The decision was formally announced on 30 September 2026, triggering an enforcement order for domestic internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict access to the company’s websites. Under Czech gaming legislation, ISPs are granted a 15-day compliance window from the publication date of the prohibition order, meaning that direct access to the platform for Czech residents will be blocked on Thursday, 15 October 2026.
The regulatory enforcement was prompted by a formal submission from the Czech Institute for Gambling Regulation (IPRH), which represents more than 90% of the country’s licensed gambling industry. IPRH Director Jan Řehola noted that market supervision must evaluate the true economic substance of the activity rather than marketing terminology. Placing real funds at risk on the uncertain outcome of real-world events constitutes gambling, and companies cannot circumvent consumer protection requirements and statutory oversight simply by labelling bets as financial event contracts. This move follows an identical ban issued by Czech authorities against rival platform Polymarket in July 2026.
For licensed iGaming operators and software platform suppliers, the Czech government’s stance highlights the widening transatlantic divide over prediction markets. While operators in the United States attempt to structure event contracts under federal oversight from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), major European jurisdictions-including France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and Romania-consistently classify event trading as betting. The Czech enforcement confirms that European regulators will actively insulate domestic licensed regimes from uncertified prediction platforms, reinforcing strict licensing mandates across the continent.
Source: https://sbcnews.co.uk/europe/2026/10/02/kalshi-czech-republic/