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Letitia James sues Polymarket to block illegal betting

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 9:56 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Attorney General Letitia James sued Polymarket for illegal gambling.
Governor Kathy Hochul said the platform endangers underage New Yorkers.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to block Polymarket and to require a state license.
It demands civil fines, forfeiture of gains, full restitution, and penalties of triple profits plus $100,000 per attempt.
The complaint alleges Polymarket lets 18- to 20-year-olds bet, violating the age-21 law.

History

Historical Context

The 2011 DOJ seizure of PokerStars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker—known as Black Friday—followed the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and froze 76 bank accounts in 14 countries, targeting roughly $3 billion in assets. Decades later, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul have sued prediction-market platform Polymarket for alleged under-21 betting, extending the same state-level push to regulate digital wagering.

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Story summary

Attorney General Letitia James sued Polymarket for illegal gambling.
Governor Kathy Hochul said the platform endangers underage New Yorkers.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to block Polymarket and to require a state license.
It demands civil fines, forfeiture of gains, full restitution, and penalties of triple profits plus $100,000 per attempt.
The complaint alleges Polymarket lets 18- to 20-year-olds bet, violating the age-21 law.

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