When Kevin first heard about the prediction market Kalshi, he knew deep down it would be wise to stay away. Kalshi reminded him of a weakness of his: sports betting.
Kevin, who is 36 and works in law enforcement in Texas, has been a gambling addict for 18 years. It’s a problem that cost him his first marriage and forced him to file for bankruptcy.
Sports betting is illegal in Texas, so Kevin used a bookie based out of the state – until his second wife changed the passwords to his bookie account. Going to a physical casino required him to get in the car and drive. But Kalshi was right there: “I could still do my sports thing and it was actually legal.” (He requested to go only by first name to speak about sensitive matters.)
Despite…