CNN —A federal judge made way on Thursday for legal political gambling in the United States, rejecting a federal watchdog’s last-minute effort to delay a prediction market from offering bets on the November elections. She also denied a request by the government during Thursday’s hearing to block Kalshi from offering contracts pending its appeal. The CFTC has argued that the contracts count as illegal gambling and that it doesn’t have the resources to monitor them. Its chairman, Rostin Behnam, has also warned that election contracts would “ultimately commoditize and degrade the integrity” the electoral process. Luana Lopes Lara, a co-founder of Kalshi, celebrated the decision on Thursday, writing on X, “WE’RE LIVE.” The CFTC declined to comment.

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Persons: Jia Cobb, “, ” Cobb, Kalshi, Rostin Behnam, Luana Lopes Lara, ” Organizations: CNN, Senate, Futures Trading Commission, DC, Kalshi, CFTC Locations: United States, Washington ,, Kalshi, New York