North Carolina to impose 6% tax on prediction markets like Kalshi

The U.S. state of North Carolina will introduce a 6% tax on prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, Bitcoin.com reported. Governor Josh Stein signed a $34 billion fiscal year budget on July 7. The budget immediately raises the tax rate on online sports betting from 18% to 23%, with the 6% tax on prediction market revenue set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. However, North Carolina will not subject prediction market operators to separate state gambling regulations. Gaming industry analyst Dustin Gouker noted that this is the first instance of a state recognizing a U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-registered prediction market as federally legal without imposing its own licensing or regulatory requirements.