Coinbase Stock Slides 4.3% as Nevada Gaming Regulator Targets Unlicensed Sports Betting Contracts

Coinbase shares continued their recent decline after Nevada regulators moved to block the crypto exchange’s prediction market products, adding another layer of legal uncertainty for the company.

The enforcement action highlights a growing conflict between state gaming authorities and platforms offering event-based contracts that resemble sports betting, even when those products operate under federal oversight.

On Monday, the Nevada Gaming Control Board filed a civil enforcement complaint against Coinbase Financial Markets in Carson City. Regulators are seeking a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to stop Coinbase from offering prediction markets tied to sports and elections within the state.

The board argues that these contracts amount to unlicensed gambling under Nevada law and should fall under state gaming authority rather than federal derivatives regulation.

Nevada Challenges Coinbase’s Prediction Markets

Coinbase launched its US prediction markets last month through a partnership with Kalshi, a Commodity Futures Trading Commission-regulated designated contract market.

The exchange maintains that these event-based contracts are federally regulated derivatives, not gambling products. Nevada officials disagree, saying contracts linked to sporting outcomes and elections constitute wagering activity and therefore require state gaming licenses.

In its filings, the board also raised concerns about age restrictions, noting that Coinbase allows users aged 18 and older to trade event contracts, below Nevada’s legal gambling age of 21.

Regulators said the platform’s continued operation creates ongoing harm and gives Coinbase an unfair advantage over licensed sportsbooks that must meet strict compliance, tax, and location requirements.

The action against Coinbase follows similar moves by Nevada against other prediction market platforms. A state court recently granted a temporary restraining order blocking Polymarket from offering event-based contracts to Nevada residents.

The Nevada lawsuit has added to broader pressure on Coinbase shares. The stock fell 4.36% on Wednesday, extending its losing streak to eleven consecutive sessions and pushing it to its lowest level since April.

Investor sentiment has been weighed down by regulatory risks and a recent disclosure of an insider-related data breach affecting roughly 30 clients.

Coinbase has pushed back against state-level actions elsewhere, filing federal lawsuits against gaming regulators in Connecticut, Michigan, and Illinois. The company argues that prediction markets fall exclusively within the CFTC’s jurisdiction and that state enforcement efforts unlawfully restrict federally regulated products.

Cover image from ChatGPT, COINUSD chart on Tradingview