Sports betting company Underdog sues Connecticut, seeking to block sports prediction market enforcement
According to The Block, sports betting company Underdog has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Connecticut state officials seeking to prevent the state from classifying its sports event contracts as illegal gambling. Underdog argues that it operates as a federally regulated Designated Contract Market (DCM), and that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) holds "exclusive jurisdiction" over DCMs, meaning Connecticut's enforcement action conflicts with the framework of the Commodity Exchange Act.
Previously, Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) issued cease and desist orders to nine prediction market platforms, including Underdog, Polymarket, Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Robinhood. Earlier this month, Underdog also filed separate lawsuits in five states: Ohio, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Washington. Currently, more than twelve states have taken enforcement actions or filed lawsuits against prediction market platforms.