Louisiana attorney general sues Kalshi, Polymarket and other prediction markets in state court; judge signs ex parte restraining order

Louisiana has gone to state court to try to shut down prediction-market trading in the state, and a state judge signed an ex parte temporary restraining order the same day. Attorney General Liz Murrill said on November 12, 2026, that she had filed suit "this morning" against "Kalshi, Polymarket, and numerous other illegal online gambling operations," and was "seeking an immediate restraining order and an injunction to restore the rule of law in Louisiana."

The petition

The first page of the petition, released by the attorney general, shows the case filed in the 21st Judicial District Court, Parish of Tangipahoa, as State of Louisiana, by and through its Attorney General, Liz Murrill v. Kalshi Inc. et al. The docket number field on the released copy is blank, as is the docket-number line on the order described below. The filing is titled "Petition for Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, Civil Penalties, and Other Relief."

The defendants include five Kalshi entities, among them KalshiEX LLC; QCX LLC d/b/a Polymarket US, Blockratize Inc. and three other Polymarket-related companies; Robinhood Markets and Robinhood Derivatives; ForecastEx; Rothera Exchange and Clearing; Crypto.com entities including North American Derivatives Exchange and Foris DAX FCM d/b/a OG Broker; Coinbase Global and Coinbase Financial Markets; Ludlow Exchange d/b/a Novig; three Underdog entities including UDM LLC d/b/a Underdog Predict; IG Group Holdings PLC; four Gemini companies; and ProphetX OpCo LLC.

The petition opens: "In today's digital betting market, virtually anything can become a wager." It cites Kalshi markets on control of the Senate, the next White House press secretary, the Best Picture Oscar and the federal funds rate at the end of 2027.

The temporary restraining order

Later on November 12, Murrill posted four pages of an order captioned "Ex Parte Temporary Restraining Order" (https://x.com/AGLizMurrill/status/2121027283058041287). Her post said a Louisiana judge had ordered a temporary restraining order "prohibiting Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase, Robinhood, and other 'prediction market' operators from continuing their unlicensed and unregulated illegal gambling in Louisiana." The description of the operators' conduct is the attorney general's.

The order is signed by Jeffrey Johnson, district judge of the 21st Judicial District Court, Parish of Tangipahoa, over the date November 12, 2026, and says it was issued at 3:48 p.m. The clerk's stamp on the first page shows the petition was received electronically at 11:20 a.m. that day. The docket-number line is blank.

The court says it reviewed the petition, the state's application and the certification of counsel submitted under Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 3603(A)(2), and cites Louisiana Revised Statutes 27:19.1 and 27:19.2, which let the attorney general seek ex parte relief against gambling by computer. It says the attorney general "is entitled to her requested immediate relief," that no bond is required, and that no notice is required "because the State has shown by certification that immediate and irreparable injury are ongoing." It adds that the defendants "immediately received constructive notice of the Petition through media and other outlets." These findings rest on the state's submission.

The order restrains the named defendants "and each of their principals, officers, agents, employees, counsel, and all persons in active concert or participation with them who receive actual knowledge of this Order by personal service or otherwise" from:

• operating, offering, listing, accepting, clearing, settling, brokering, making a market in, or otherwise facilitating or offering any "event contract," also called a wager, from, to or on behalf of any person located in Louisiana without a valid license and permit under Chapter 10 of Title 27 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The order defines "event contract" or "wager" broadly, to include bets on sports, elections and awards events, among others;
• accepting, facilitating or allowing any wager from, or allowing market access to, any person located in Louisiana;
• failing to geofence Louisiana so that the offerings described in the first prohibition are not accessible to people in the state; and
• representing, advertising or marketing to anyone in Louisiana, directly or through an agent or affiliate, that the defendants' event contracts or wagering offerings are lawful, licensed or authorized in Louisiana, or making any untrue, deceptive or misleading representation about them in violation of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The order says it "shall expire by its terms at the same hour on the tenth day after issuance" unless, for good cause shown and before it expires, the court extends it for one or more periods of up to ten days each, or the defendants consent to a longer period. Counting from 3:48 p.m. on November 12, AskSpinner calculates that as 3:48 p.m. on November 22. The order sets a hearing on the state's motion for a preliminary injunction for November 30, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., which falls after that date unless the order is extended or the defendants consent to a longer period. It directs the state to serve the order, the petition, the application and the motion on the defendants and file proof of service.

A temporary restraining order granted ex parte is a short-term order issued on one side's submission. It is not a ruling on the merits or on whether the contracts violate Louisiana law, and the petition's claims are allegations. AskSpinner reviewed the four pages released by the attorney general; it has not seen the full petition, the court docket or a certified copy of the order.

Federal cases already pending

The state's move follows two federal suits against Louisiana officials. Kalshi sued in the Western District of Louisiana on October 23 (No. 1:26-cv-04476), and Polymarket US, through QCX LLC, sued in the Eastern District on October 27 (No. 2:26-cv-02482). Both argue that federal commodities law preempts Louisiana's gambling statutes. Other state and federal cases are listed in AskSpinner's Kalshi and prediction market litigation tracker.

On November 12, KalshiEX LLC also filed Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction in the Western District of Louisiana case (Document 23, three pages, PageID 180). The PACER-stamped first page lists Judge Jerry Edwards, Jr. Only that first page, the caption and title, has been released publicly. The legal argument and any hearing date were not on that page. The court has not ruled on the motion.

Updated November 12, 2026: In the Western District of Louisiana case Kalshi filed on October 23 (No. 1:26-cv-04476), KalshiEX LLC filed Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction (Document 23, three pages). Only the PACER-stamped first page has been released publicly. The court has not ruled.

Updated November 13, 2026: Added the ex parte temporary restraining order signed on November 12 by Judge Jeffrey Johnson of the 21st Judicial District Court, Parish of Tangipahoa, as released by the attorney general. It was issued at 3:48 p.m., expires by its terms on the tenth day (November 22, by our count) unless extended, and a hearing on the state's preliminary-injunction motion is set for November 30 at 9:00 a.m. It is not a ruling on the merits. Revised the headline, summary and Overview to match.