A neutral, dated look at ForecastEx from Louisiana. ForecastEx is a CFTC registered exchange that lists economic, financial and climate forecast contracts through Interactive Brokers. Louisiana's recent warning was aimed at sports event contracts, which is not what ForecastEx runs. Who can take part and on what basis. Information, not advice. As of March 2026.
Last reviewed 31 March 2026 · Status as of March 2026 · Information, not legal advice
ForecastEx is a Designated Contract Market and clearing organization registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, launched as an Interactive Brokers spinout in 2024, and reached through an Interactive Brokers account. Because it holds full federal registration rather than a no action position, its footing is firmer than several peers, and a Louisiana resident aged 18 or older can generally take part. It lists forecast contracts on economic, financial and climate questions rather than running a sports book. That matters in Louisiana, where the Louisiana Gaming Control Board advised in December 2025 that sports event contracts amount to illegal sports wagering under state law unless the offering entity holds a sports wagering licence, and sent cease and desist letters to illegal operators. That warning is aimed at sports event contracts, not at the economic and climate markets ForecastEx lists.
As of March 2026, ForecastEx is generally available to eligible Louisiana residents aged 18 or older through an Interactive Brokers account. It is a CFTC registered Designated Contract Market listing economic, financial and climate forecast contracts, with a flat fee of one cent per contract. Louisiana's December 2025 warning targeted sports event contracts as illegal sports wagering, not the economic and climate markets ForecastEx runs, so the federal registration governs here. Confirm your eligibility and the current terms before you act.
Where a position is contested we say so. Louisiana has been firm that sports event contracts are illegal sports wagering without a state licence, but that position targets sports rather than the economic and climate contracts ForecastEx lists. ForecastEx's full CFTC registration is firmer than the no action relief some peers use. The wider federal framework is under review, so confirm your eligibility and the current terms before you rely on it.
ForecastEx is available to eligible Louisiana residents through Interactive Brokers. These are federally listed United States venues you can compare it against, though several are sports leaning and are contested by Louisiana gaming regulators. This list appears after the information, and we show no paid placements. Confirm the live position and your eligibility before you act.
Availability is indicative and sports event contracts in particular are contested in Louisiana. Scores are our current Index ratings, not a recommendation. Confirm the current position and your eligibility before opening an account.
As of March 2026, yes, generally. ForecastEx is a CFTC registered exchange reached through an Interactive Brokers account, and is open to eligible Louisiana residents aged 18 or older. This is general information, not legal advice.
Louisiana's December 2025 warning targeted sports event contracts as illegal sports wagering. ForecastEx lists economic, financial and climate contracts rather than sports, so it sits apart from that warning. It operates under federal CFTC registration.
Through an Interactive Brokers account, and in some cases through Robinhood, rather than a separate ForecastEx app. United States clients can trade its contracts inside Interactive Brokers without a second sign up.
ForecastEx is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a Designated Contract Market and clearing organization. That federal registration is firmer than the no action relief some peers operate under, though the wider framework is under review.
ForecastEx charges a flat fee of one cent per contract, included in the price. Confirm the current fee on ForecastEx or within Interactive Brokers before you trade.
Available or not, prediction markets can lose you money. Stake only what you can afford to lose, never to chase a loss, and never on borrowed money. If it stops feeling like a free choice, step back. In Louisiana and across the United States you can call or text the helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org. You must be 18+ or the legal age in your region.
The position above rests on ForecastEx's federal registration with the CFTC and on Louisiana's focus on sports event contracts. Confirm it yourself before you act, because the wider framework is moving.
Status as of March 2026. General information, not legal advice.