The state of Utah has filed criminal charges against betting website Kalshi and some of its executives, for allegedly violating the state's ban on gambling.

Kalshi is one of several online "prediction markets" that have gained popularity in recent years. Critics have argued that the websites are merely digital gambling, which remains illegal in some states. The state is charging the company, CEO Tarek Mansour, and COO Luana Lopes Lara with felony counts, allegedly the platform continued accepting bets even after a court ruling that said the state's laws applied to the platform.

“Gambling is illegal in Utah, whether you place the bet, run the game, or promote it,” state Attorney General Derek Brown said, according to The Hill. “Calling it a ‘prediction market’ doesn’t change what it is, and being federally registered doesn’t put a company above the law.”

Kalshi, for its part, called the charges a "crazy overreach."

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.