A lobbying arms race between Kalshi, Polymarket and the casino and gaming sectors is unfolding in Washington, with all sides vying to win over lawmakers amid increasing scrutiny of prediction markets from Congress and regulators.
Kalshi’s lobbying spending totaled $990,000 during the first half of 2026, according to filings this week, and nearly $1.8 million when including outside firms it’s hired. That’s more than the total $1 million the company spent on lobbying for the entirety of 2025 and marks the highest six-month spending to date for the company.
