Prediction market platform Kalshi has slapped a three-year trading ban on Lori Buckhout, a North Carolina congressional candidate, after she placed bets on the outcome of her own race. Kalshi flagged Buckhout as someone with direct influence over the event—a clear violation of the platform's internal rules.

What went down

According to Kalshi, Buckhout made trades tied to the results of her own election. The platform strictly bans participants who can sway an outcome from betting on it, and breaking this rule can get you hit with tough disciplinary action, including long-term suspensions.

The penalties and the numbers

The total value of Buckhout’s contracts was under $1,000. She agreed to pay a fine of $2,589.96. On top of the fine, she’s barred from trading on Kalshi for three years.

Why it’s a violation

Kalshi’s rules are clear: anyone who can directly affect an event’s outcome can’t trade on it. The company decided Buckhout’s candidacy created an obvious conflict of interest and threatened the integrity of the market, so they enforced the penalties as outlined in their policy.