Prediction market company Kalshi has sent Netflix a cease-and-desist letter demanding the removal of the trailer for its upcoming documentary Prediction Games, alleging that it contains defamatory content, fabricated evidence and misleading statements about the company’s platform.
The documentary, part of Netflix’s fast-turnaround “Instadocs” series, explores the rapid growth of prediction markets and includes interviews with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour and Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan. However, the trailer centres on a gathering in Las Vegas where attendees discuss making millions of dollars through prediction markets during the World Cup.
One guest says he enjoys betting on Kalshi, while another displays what appears to be a $5,000 wager on a smartphone. Kalshi argues the footage creates the false impression that sports event contracts were being traded in Nevada in July 2026, despite the company being barred from operating in the state under a court order.
Kalshi disputes trailer footage.
According to the cease-and-desist letter, the wager shown in the trailer is actually a screenshot from a bet placed on May 16, 2025, before the Nevada restriction took effect. Kalshi claims Netflix misled viewers by presenting the image in a different context.
The company also said it recently spoke with a Netflix employee who agreed the receipt would not appear in the documentary when it premieres on July 26. Kalshi alleges Netflix nevertheless refused to remove the image from the promotional trailer displayed on its platform.
Netflix rejects fabrication claims
Netflix does not dispute that the screenshot was taken from a 2025 wager but rejected claims that any documentary footage was fabricated. A company spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that the scenes were filmed during the Winible World Cup Watch Weekend in Las Vegas on July 17, 2026, and that the featured trader voluntarily showed a screenshot of a bet placed before the Nevada court order. The spokesperson added that any specific trades discussed during the event were matters between the individual and the platform used to place them.
