Australian Ban Prevents Kalshi Trading for US Fans at First NFL Regular Season Game
US fans at the NFL’s first Australian regular season game cannot trade on Kalshi due to ASIC’s prohibition on unlicensed prediction markets. Kalshi blocks access from Australia per its membership rules and focuses on US compliance. Goodell called for stricter US oversight to protect game integrity and consumers.
SCCG Take — This exposes regulatory fragmentation that complicates global operator expansion and reinforces leagues’ demands for integrity-focused rules in prediction markets.
An estimated 10,000 US fans are expected to attend Australia’s first regular season NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The matchup takes place 7,971 miles from Levi’s Stadium in California, a state with a sports betting ban that has fueled interest in prediction markets. Those fans will not be able to live-trade on platforms like Kalshi from their seats, as reported by iGaming Business.
Trading on prediction markets remains illegal in Australia. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) reiterated last month that these platforms are not licensed as financial markets to operate in the country. The commission urged consumers to exercise caution before using offshore services that lack nationwide licensing.
ASIC Warnings and Platform Access Rules
ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland stated in an August release that users of overseas operators may miss out on “protections” available on Australian soil. The Australian Communications and Media Authority banned Polymarket nationwide in 2025 after determining it violated the Interactive Gaming Act of 2001 by accepting in-play betting on sports events.
Kalshi requires proof of US residency, a US tax identification number, and a full know-your-customer check before allowing trading. Its nine-page member agreement from June lists roughly three dozen prohibited countries, including Australia. The operator reserves the right to deny access to users in restricted jurisdictions. Kalshi has stayed relatively quiet on international expansion plans and is seeking a valuation of around $44 billion ahead of a potential initial public offering.
NFL Position on Predictive Market Rules
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the issue from Melbourne in comments to CNBC. “We think there needs to be stronger regulations into the predictive markets,” Goodell said. “We want to see that to protect the integrity of our game – we want to make sure we are protecting the consumers that are on those platforms.”
Goodell added that the league has submitted letters to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission identifying certain event contracts as objectionable, including those tied to player injuries, penalty totals, and missed field goals. “We don’t think we have to be first in this, we feel like we’re going to be right,” Goodell said. “The best thing to do is be patient and make sure you keep the integrity of the game number one.” Other US leagues have signed memorandums of understanding with the CFTC allowing team partnerships with operators.
The restrictions in Australia illustrate the immediate limits prediction market operators face outside the US, even as domestic platforms expand rapidly and leagues press for clearer federal standards.
Reporting: iGaming Business (iGB)
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Regulatory fragmentation blocks prediction market access abroad, exposing the complexity operators face expanding beyond US borders.
We see this play out constantly — operators scaling nationally slam into conflicting international regimes. ASIC's hard line on unlicensed prediction markets and Goodell's call for tighter US oversight show the regulatory vise tightening from both ends. For prediction market platforms eyeing growth, compliance architecture just became mission-critical.
- ASIC bans unlicensed prediction markets; Kalshi blocks Australia per membership rules
- Polymarket banned nationwide in 2025 under Interactive Gaming Act violations
- Goodell demands stronger US predictive market regulation to protect integrity and consumers
SCCG angle: SCCG has regulatory and compliance partners across 545 relationships in every regulated market. When prediction market operators need licensing roadmaps, multi-jurisdictional compliance architecture, or stakeholder engagement with leagues and regulators, we broker those introductions and build those frameworks — no guesswork, just connectivity.
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