‘Lying Little Twerp:’ Indian Gaming Association Chair No Fan of Kalshi CEO
Posted on: June 24, 2025, 04:50h.
Last updated on: June 24, 2025, 09:17h.
- Tribal leaders reject Kalshi’s claims of cooperative dialogue
- Legal fight escalates over prediction markets and sovereignty
- Kalshi’s regulatory tactics spark backlash from tribal nations
Native American gaming groups have accused prediction platform Kalshi of misrepresenting its relationship with tribal nations and undermining tribal sovereignty over gaming.
Victor Rocha, conference chair of the Indian Gaming Association (IGA) and a member of the Pechanga Band of Indians, told Sportico this week that recent conversations with Kalshi executives were unproductive, despite the company’s recent claim to the contrary.
Kalshi offers sports prediction markets via events contracts, a type of derivative that allows users to speculate on the outcome of a specific event. The company argues its platform is legal and distinct from traditional sports betting, a stance that has prompted legal challenges and a backlash from state and tribal officials.
Opposed by 60 Tribes
More than 60 tribal governments and organizations, including the IGA and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), have filed an amicus brief in a federal appeals court supporting New Jersey’s legal battle against the prediction platform.
That case hinges on whether the federal Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), which governs events contracts regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), can preempt state-level sports betting laws.
A Kalshi spokesperson recently said the company had “productive conversations with several tribes” and respected their “inherent sovereignty.” But Rocha told Sportico he disputed that characterization, and he didn’t hold back.
I’ve talked to [Kalshi CEO] Tarek Mansour twice now, and my take from him is that he’s a lying little twerp,” Rocha said.
Tribal groups argue that allowing Kalshi to bypass state gambling laws through CEA protections would cause broad harm – not just to New Jersey, but to tribes across the country who operate gaming under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
“The idea that Kalshi can do an end-run around tribal-state compacts threatens the very foundation of tribal gaming,” Rocha said.
Direct Action
While the amicus brief addresses the broader implications of federal preemption, tribal leaders say they are also weighing direct legal action against Kalshi.
In the lead-up to the last presidential election, Kalshi was sued by its regulator, the CFTC, which argued that the company’s event contracts on the outcome of the vote amounted to illegal political gambling.
Under the current administration, however, the regulator’s stance appears to have softened, as has the administration’s broader approach toward Kalshi. The company now counts Donald Trump Jr. among its strategic advisors.
Last Comment ( 1 )
Victor is a tribal member of Pechanga that opposed sharing any revenue with non-gaming tribes in California. Takes one to know one. (P.S., I don't support Kalshi!).