How old do you have to be to use Kalshi?

18. Kalshi requires individual account holders to be 18 or older.

Do any prediction markets require you to be 21?

Yes, in some cases: PrizePicks (19 in Alabama, 19 in Colorado, 21 in Illinois, 21 in Massachusetts, 21 in Virginia); Fanatics Markets (21 everywhere).

Why can 18-year-olds use prediction markets when the gambling age is 21?

Prediction markets are regulated federally, not licensed by states, so state gambling-age rules do not apply to them unless courts or Congress say otherwise. Several states and the NCAA have objected.

Guide

How old do you have to be?

Mostly 18, which is the point of the fight: most states set the gambling age at 20 or 21.

Reviewed Oct. 22, 2026 · Live figures update with our records · Sources are footnoted

The short answer

Most platforms we track require users to be 18. The exceptions: PrizePicks and Fanatics Markets. Most states set the gambling age at 20 or 21, which is why the age gap is part of the legal fight.¹

By platform

Platform	Minimum age	State exceptions
Kalshi	18²	None listed
Polymarket US	18³	None listed
Gemini Predictions	18⁴	None listed
Robinhood	18⁵	None listed
Crypto.com	18⁶	None listed
Coinbase	18⁷	None listed
DraftKings Predictions	18⁸	None listed
FanDuel Predicts	18⁹	None listed
Underdog	18¹⁰	None listed
PrizePicks	18¹¹	19 in Alabama; 19 in Colorado; 21 in Illinois; 21 in Massachusetts; 21 in Virginia
Fanatics Markets	21¹²	None listed

Ages come from each platform’s own materials where it publishes them, and otherwise from the reporting cited. Each platform page shows the date we checked.

Why it’s contested

State-licensed sportsbooks must follow state age limits; prediction markets serve anyone 18 and over without a state licence.¹³ Massachusetts, for example, sets 21 for online sports betting, and its attorney general says Kalshi lets 18- to 20-year-olds trade.¹⁴ The NCAA’s president has made the same point.¹ Connecticut’s governor proposed raising the minimum age for event-contract trading to 21 in February 2026.¹⁵ Track other proposals on the bill tracker.

Limits and self-exclusion

Kalshi offers voluntary self-exclusion, personal deposit caps and temporary trading breaks, and lists the 988 crisis line.^16,17 If gambling is causing you harm, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

Questions

How old do you have to be to use Kalshi?: 18. Kalshi requires individual account holders to be 18 or older.
Do any prediction markets require you to be 21?: Yes, in some cases: PrizePicks (19 in Alabama, 19 in Colorado, 21 in Illinois, 21 in Massachusetts, 21 in Virginia); Fanatics Markets (21 everywhere).
Why can 18-year-olds use prediction markets when the gambling age is 21?: Prediction markets are regulated federally, not licensed by states, so state gambling-age rules do not apply to them unless courts or Congress say otherwise. Several states and the NCAA have objected.