Novig Sues Wisconsin Attorney General Over Sports Prediction Contracts

Sports-focused prediction market Novig has filed a federal lawsuit against Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and state gaming administrator John Dillett, moving to block the state before it can take enforcement action. The company began offering event contracts to Wisconsin residents just a week before filing suit and is asking the court for a quick ruling on a preliminary injunction.

Why Novig Is Suing First

Novig’s subsidiary, Ludlow Exchange LLC, filed the 45-page complaint in the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The company points to Wisconsin’s earlier lawsuits against other prediction market platforms as reason to expect it will be targeted next. Unlike Kalshi and Polymarket, Novig sticks to sports-related contracts only and avoids offering bets on news events. Users must also be at least 21 to trade on the platform. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky told WIRED that younger traders face real risk of financial harm without that age limit.

Part of a Broader Legal Pattern

Wisconsin had already sued Kalshi, Polymarket, Robinhood, Crypto.com, and Coinbase in April, arguing their sports contracts amount to illegal gambling under state law. Those cases remain active in the same court. Novig argues its contracts qualify as swaps under federal commodities law and should fall under CFTC oversight instead. A federal judge denied the CFTC’s own request for an injunction against Wisconsin in July.

Novig has now sued officials in five states since August 4, including New York, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Washington, as it pushes for nationwide expansion. The company recently signed an exclusive partnership with the New York Mets, marking the first such deal between a Major League Baseball team and a prediction market platform.