Kalshi is preparing new safeguards aimed at preventing minors from accessing its trading platform after cases where children bypassed age limits by using their parents’ identification.
The company’s co-founder and chief executive Tarek Mansour outlined the measures during remarks at the Semafor World Economy event in Washington, DC. His comments reflect a growing challenge for platforms that rely on identity verification but face workarounds from younger users.
“We are launching a portal for parents to basically submit their identification, even if they don’t want to be users of Kalshi, to see if someone is using it. Because then they can see if their children are using their ID and police it,” Mansour said.
Parent portal targets misuse of personal data
The proposed system allows parents to check whether their personal data has been used to create an account. According to details shared at the conference and in follow-up reporting, the portal would let users verify whether information such as name, date of birth, and identification numbers appear on the platform.
This approach addresses a specific pattern. Some minors have registered accounts by submitting a parent’s ID. The company’s new tool gives families a direct way to detect and respond to that activity.
The initiative also reflects the structure of prediction markets in the United States. Platforms such as Kalshi operate under oversight from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which requires firms to follow know-your-customer rules. The minimum age for participation stands at 18.
David Miller, director of enforcement at the CFTC, emphasized the importance of compliance during a talk at NYU School of Law on March 31.
“Anti-money laundering and KYC laws are essential in combatting terrorism, narcotrafficking, fraud, and other serious illegal activity,” he said.
Selfie verification adds another layer
Kalshi plans to introduce additional identity checks at the account level. The company will require users to submit selfies during registration. Artificial intelligence tools will compare the image with the provided identification.
Mansour described the goal of the feature during his remarks.
“We are also adding selfies to accounts, where you can basically look at the face of a person, and it can tell you obviously if this person is not the actual parent that’s 50 years old. But there’s a lot more to do,” he said.
The company expects the system to detect mismatches between the registered identity and the actual user. This step aims to close a gap that allowed minors to pass initial verification checks.
Family monitoring expands platform oversight
Kalshi is also preparing a feature that extends oversight beyond identity verification. The company plans to introduce family-linked accounts that allow users to monitor activity within a shared network.
Mansour described the concept as a form of accountability.
“We’re launching this kind of notion of family accounts, where people can track each other’s activity,” he said. “How do we create a sort of accountability structure amongst friends and families for people to be like, ‘Hey, you might be doing a little too much here.’ We want this to be a tool for good, not a tool for excessive behaviors.”
The feature would allow multiple users to view or track trading behavior. It introduces a social layer that may help limit excessive use.
Regulatory and competitive pressure builds
Kalshi’s updates arrive as prediction markets face closer scrutiny in the United States. State regulators have examined event-based contracts tied to sports and other topics. Federal oversight remains with the CFTC, though enforcement resources are limited. Government records show the agency has fewer than 600 employees.
At the same time, competition has increased. Binance recently added prediction market features to its wallet application. Crypto.com has expanded similar services through partnerships.
Kalshi maintains that its operations fall under federal jurisdiction. Court decisions in states such as Arizona and New Jersey have supported the company’s position that federal law can preempt certain state gambling regulations. Several legal challenges remain active.
Platform responsibility remains central
The company’s new measures place more responsibility on platform-level controls rather than relying solely on regulatory enforcement. Exchanges must ensure fair trading practices, prevent manipulation, and verify user identities under existing rules.
The introduction of a parent portal and identity checks reflects direct responses to real cases where safeguards failed. These measures aim to close gaps without altering the broader structure of prediction markets.
Kalshi’s approach combines technical verification with user oversight. The company’s next phase will test whether these tools reduce unauthorized access while maintaining usability for adult participants.
Roman Zaika
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