Nevada Gaming Board: A Court Win on Sports-Event Contracts, and an Illegal Sports-Betting Indictment

Ninth Circuit sides with Nevada on sports-event contracts

On Aug. 28, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled 3-0 in favor of Nevada, the Board said. The court rejected the argument that the federal Commodity Exchange Act preempts, or overrides, Nevada gaming law for sports-event contracts offered by Kalshi, Crypto.com and Robinhood.

A sports-event contract lets a person buy a position on the outcome of a game. The Board treats these contracts, and some other event contracts, as wagering under NRS 463.0193 and 463.01962. That means anyone offering them in Nevada needs a Nevada gaming license. The Board has also said Kalshi's operations in Nevada are unlawful under NRS 463.160, 463.350, 465.086 and 465.092.

"This is sports betting and needs to be properly regulated by the state," Board Chairman Mike Dreitzer said in the release. Gov. Joe Lombardo said prediction markets offering sports-event contracts "constitute gambling and must comply with Nevada's gaming laws and regulatory framework." The Board said it has acted in recent months to stop other unlicensed prediction markets operating in Nevada.

The Board keeps a timeline of its actions against prediction markets, and the court filings, on its Press Releases page.

Clark County grand jury indictment

On Sept. 30, 2026, the Board announced that a Clark County grand jury indicted William West Roberts on Sept. 29, 2026. The charges involve running an illegal sports-betting business and money laundering.

The Board said the indictment follows a multi-year investigation. Roberts was arrested in April 2026 after investigators found he was accepting sports wagers through a website based in Costa Rica. The Board said no further details are being released.

An indictment is a formal charge. It is not a finding of guilt. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Why it matters for Nevadans

In Nevada, sports bets are supposed to go through sportsbooks the state licenses and checks. Bets placed with unlicensed websites or bookies do not have that oversight. The Board takes complaints about casinos and online gaming through a form linked from gaming.nv.gov.

Official sources

Ninth Circuit Rules in Favor of Nevada (Aug. 28, 2026): https://www.gaming.nv.gov/siteassets/content/about/press-release/ninth-circuit-rules-in-favor-of-nevada.pdf

Kalshi Ninth Circuit opinion (PDF): https://www.gaming.nv.gov/siteassets/content/about/press-release/25-7516---kalshi-ninth-circuit-decision.pdf

NGCB Announces the Indictment of William West Roberts (Sept. 30, 2026): https://www.gaming.nv.gov/siteassets/content/about/press-release/ngcb-announces-the-indictment-of-william-west-roberts.pdf

Press Releases and Public Statements: https://www.gaming.nv.gov/about-us/press-releases-public-statements/

Notes and sources

1. Sources checked Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, between about 8:20 and 9:30 a.m. PT.
2. Quotes are copied from the Board's Aug. 28, 2026, release. The indictment summary uses only the Board's Sept. 30, 2026, release.
3. An indictment is an accusation, not a conviction.
4. Author: Ryan Standley / Record of Sale, LLC / Notice Nearby.
5. Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).