Archive · 19 Jul 2026
FIFA World Cup Drives Kalshi Growth
The FIFA World Cup has been a big deal for Kalshi, a platform where people can make predictions and trade on outcomes.
During the tournament, Kalshi added 3 million new users and saw over $1.2 billion in wagers on who would win the World Cup.
The company did a lot to get people's attention, like partnering with famous football players and celebrities, and even putting ads in stadiums.
They also worked with OpenAI to show prediction odds in ChatGPT.
However, some states in the U.S. are arguing that these prediction markets are similar to sports betting and should be regulated by them.
Kalshi says they should be regulated by the federal government instead.
The big question now is whether all these new users will stick around after the World Cup is over.
Kalshi added 3 million new users during the FIFA World Cup.
Over $1.2 billion was wagered on the World Cup outcome, making it Kalshi's largest prediction market to date.
Kalshi partnered with ADI Predictstreet, OpenAI, and several high-profile football personalities for marketing.
The company faced regulatory scrutiny from U.S. states arguing that prediction markets are similar to sports betting.
Kalshi maintains that prediction markets fall under federal jurisdiction and are regulated by the CFTC.
- Who
- Kalshi, FIFA, ADI Predictstreet, OpenAI, Luka Modric, José Mourinho, Lionel Messi, Timothée Chalamet, J Balvin
- What
- Kalshi's user growth and record trading volumes due to the FIFA World Cup
- When
- During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with trading concluding on the final's Sunday
- Where
- Globally, with significant activity in the United States
- Why
- The excitement surrounding the World Cup drove unprecedented trading activity and user growth on Kalshi's prediction markets.
Kalshi's Position
State Regulators' Position
Regulatory Jurisdiction
Kalshi's Position
Kalshi argues that prediction markets fall under the jurisdiction of the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which oversees derivatives and swap markets.
State Regulators' Position
Several states argue that sports-event prediction contracts function similarly to sports betting, an area traditionally regulated by state authorities.
- New Users
- 3 million
- Total Wagered
- $1.2 billion
- Final Teams
- Spain and Argentina
- Regulatory Body
- Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
- Key Partnerships
- ADI Predictstreet, OpenAI, Luka Modric, José Mourinho, Lionel Messi, Timothée Chalamet, J Balvin