November 4, 2026

In a September 30, 2026 press release, the Nevada Gaming Control Board announced that a Clark County grand jury had indicted a defendant on September 29 on charges involving the operation of an illegal sports betting business and money laundering. According to the Board, the indictment followed a multi-year investigation, the defendant was arrested in April 2026, and investigators had identified that the defendant was accepting sports wagers through a website based in Costa Rica. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. If you are under investigation or have been charged, talk to a licensed Nevada criminal defense attorney. What Makes a Sportsbook Illegal in Nevada? The September release does not cite statutes. The Board has set out its licensing position on sports wagering in its prediction-market actions. In its August 28 release on prediction markets, the Board said it treats sports event contracts as wagering and that “entities offering these contracts must be licensed in the state of Nevada.” In March 2025 it sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter, concluding that Kalshi was “operating as an unlicensed sports pool” in violation of NRS 463.160(1) and NRS 463.245(2), and warned that it would pursue civil or criminal enforcement if Kalshi did not stop. Describing the Nevada laws identified in that letter, the Ninth Circuit said in its August 28, 2026 decision that they regulate “gaming” activity, including operating an unlicensed “sports pool” in which “wagers” on “sporting events or other events” are accepted, and cited NRS 463.160(1)(a) and (4), NRS 463.245(2), NRS 465.086 and NRS 465.092. The panel affirmed the dissolution of Kalshi’s preliminary injunction as to its sports contracts and remanded part of the case. The Board called it a 3-0 ruling for Nevada. Unlike the Clark County case, the prediction-market disputes went to […]