Maryland regulators have challenged sports event contracts, but PredictIt lists political questions, not sports, and runs under federal relief rather than a Maryland licence. Here is what that means for a Maryland resident, the 18 plus rule, and the per market cap. Information, not advice. As of May 2026.
Last reviewed 21 May 2026 · Status as of May 2026 · Information, not legal advice
Maryland has been active against sports event contracts, joining the states that issued cease and desist letters to a federally regulated competitor. PredictIt is a different case because it lists political markets, not sports, so that dispute does not target it. PredictIt operates under no action relief from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, secured for an educational research project and amended in 2025, and since July 2025 it has been run by the Prediction Market Research Consortium, a United States nonprofit, after transferring from Victoria University of Wellington. A verified Maryland resident aged 18 or older can generally use it for political contracts.
As of May 2026, PredictIt is generally available to an eligible Maryland resident aged 18 or older, because it operates under no action relief from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than a Maryland licence. Although Maryland regulators have challenged sports event contracts on other platforms, PredictIt lists political markets only, not sports, so that dispute does not apply. A per market cap of about $850 and platform fees apply, so confirm the current rules before you act.
Availability is indicative and product menus differ, with PredictIt limited to political markets while Maryland has challenged sports contracts on other platforms. PredictIt requires participants to be 18 or older and applies a per market cap. Scores are illustrative editorial examples. Confirm the current position before acting.
PredictIt is one of the oldest political prediction markets in the United States. It launched in 2014 as an educational project and operates under no action relief from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which lets it run without registering as a full exchange. Since July 2025 it has been operated by the Prediction Market Research Consortium, a United States nonprofit that took over from Victoria University of Wellington. That federal relief is why a Maryland resident can use it without the platform holding a Maryland licence.
Maryland has taken a firm line on sports event contracts, sitting among the states that have issued cease and desist letters to a federally regulated prediction market over sports markets. PredictIt avoids that fight by design, because it lists only political subjects such as elections, party control and official appointments, and excludes war, terrorism and assassination questions. The federal relief also sets conditions: PredictIt caps any one participant at about $850 in a single market, a limit kept when the relief was amended in 2025 even as an earlier cap on traders per market was removed. It charges 10 percent on profits above your original outlay and 5 percent on withdrawals.
Availability is not the same as suitability. You must be 18 or older and complete identity checks, and the contracts carry a real risk of loss. A contract price is an implied probability set by other traders, not a tip or a prediction from us, and the per market cap means PredictIt is built for small scale participation rather than large positions.
As of May 2026, PredictIt is generally available to an eligible Maryland resident aged 18 or older. It operates under no action relief from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than a Maryland licence, and it lists political markets, not sports. A per market cap of about $850 and platform fees apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
Not directly. Maryland regulators have challenged sports event contracts on other platforms, but PredictIt lists only political markets, not sports, so it is not the target of those cease and desist actions. Always confirm the current position before trading.
You must be at least 18 to open an account, complete identity verification and trade on PredictIt. Always confirm the current eligibility rules directly with the platform before signing up.
Yes. Under its federal no action relief, PredictIt caps each participant at about $850 in any single market. It also charges a 10 percent fee on profits and a 5 percent withdrawal fee, so confirm the current terms before trading.
Available does not mean low risk, and not available does not make the wider category safe. Event contracts 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 the United States you can call or text the helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.
The position above rests on the federal framework and on each platform standing with its regulator. Confirm it yourself before you act, because the rules in this area change.
Status as of May 2026. General information, not legal advice.