Prediction markets platform Calci has opened a new office in Washington, D.C., as part of its intensifying efforts to shape federal and state policies amid growing scrutiny of its products across the United States.
Most important key points:
- Kalci opened an office in Washington and hired experienced policy experts to increase outreach to federal and state regulators.
- The CFTC-regulated platform leads the prediction markets with monthly trading volume of $6.58 billion.
- State regulators still oppose Calci’s sports contracts.
The company recently announced that it had named veteran political strategist John Bivona as its first head of federal government relations.
Bivona has more than two decades of experience in political campaigns and federal agencies, including serving as the top liaison between the White House and the Department of Homeland Security during the Biden administration.
He also served as chief of staff to former New York Congressman Antonio Delgado and held leadership positions on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Calci steps up policy efforts as prediction markets gain momentum.
Kalci said the move reflects his intention to communicate directly with policymakers as prediction markets gain momentum.
The platform, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, allows users to trade contracts tied to the outcomes of future events, from elections and economic data to entertainment and sports.
To strengthen its reach at the state level, Calci also hired Blake Bee, former senior director of state and local public policy at Amazon.
Bee previously worked closely with state attorneys general and spent years at the National Association of Attorneys General, as well as the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
Kalshi prepares for a change in control of Congress; hires a Democrat to lead DC’s lobbying efforts. pic.twitter.com/1qpce9v6JZ
–Mick Bransfield (@MickBransfield) January 27, 2026
Calci has become the world’s largest forecasting market in terms of monthly volume.
The company recorded a trading volume of $6.58 billion in December, significantly outperforming its competitor Polymarket, which recorded $2.28 billion during the same period. Commercial activity saw a significant increase in the fall of last year, coinciding with the start of the NFL season.
CEO Tariq Mansour said the platform processed approximately $441 million in trading volume in the first four days after the start of the NFL season.
Despite its rapid growth and federal licenses, Calci has faced resistance from several U.S. states over its sports-related contracts.
Regulators in states including Arizona, Tennessee, Connecticut and Massachusetts have argued that these offerings amount to unlicensed sports betting under state law.
Judicial decisions varied. A federal judge in Nevada ruled last year that Calci was required to comply with the state’s gambling regulations, rejecting the company’s argument that CFTC oversight exceeded state authority.
Kalci is appealing this decision. On the other hand, a judge in the state of Tennessee issued a provisional decision preventing state agents from terminating the sports platform’s contracts.
States increasingly opposed to prediction markets due to consumer concerns
States’ opposition to prediction markets has been growing for months.
In 2025, the SWC urged the CFTC to ban sporting event contracts, arguing that these products circumvent government safeguards such as age verification, responsible gaming rules and anti-money laundering requirements.
New legislation to limit interactions between government officials and prediction markets is reportedly backed by more than 30 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The impetus for the new restrictions lies in a controversial bet at Polymarket, which started as a $32,000 wager but ultimately topped $400,000 shortly before the unexpected arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The bill proposed by New York Rep. Ritchie Torres is the Public Integrity in Financial Forecasting Markets Act of 2026.
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