FlightAware sues Kalshi over flight cancellation prediction markets

3 days ago 18
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8:23 AM PDT · August 11, 2026

The real-time formation tracker FlightAware is suing the prediction marketplace Kalshi for allegedly utilizing its information to big gambling markets.

Kalshi started letting users stake connected the fig of flights cancelled successful the U.S., oregon astatine a fixed airport, astir a period ago. According to FlightAware, Kalshi utilized FlightAware’s information and sanction without authorization, displaying FlightAware’s branding and accusation adjacent aft the formation tracker demanded that Kalshi stop.

“Kalshi ne'er informed FlightAware that it would trust connected FlightAware’s information to find the result of these betting markets,” the suit says. FlightAware maintains that it did not cognize astir Kalshi’s formation cancellation bets until the media began reporting connected these caller prediction markets.

TechCrunch has reached retired to Kalshi for comment.

Kalshi and akin platforms, similar Polymarket, let users to spot bets connected assorted aboriginal events, ranging from the results of a governmental predetermination to the fig of albums a instrumentalist volition merchantability successful a fixed week.

These markets person already shown their extended imaginable to beryllium manipulated by bettors, adjacent though their rules prohibit insider trading. In 1 high-profile instance, a Polymarket idiosyncratic suspiciously bet $32,000 that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro would beryllium removed from powerfulness by the extremity of January — conscionable hours later, the U.S. subject captured Maduro, earning that idiosyncratic a $400,000 payout. A White House teleprompter relation allegedly made implicit $100,000 connected Kalshi by utilizing his precocious cognition of the president’s speeches to spot bets.

FlightAware argues that these gambling markets could likewise beryllium abused to interfere with flights, posing a information hazard for travelers and airdrome employees.

FlightAware is seeking a assemblage proceedings and has not specified however overmuch wealth it seeks successful damages.

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Amanda Silberling is simply a elder writer astatine TechCrunch covering the intersection of exertion and culture. She has besides written for publications similar Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast astir net culture, with subject fabrication writer Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked arsenic a grassroots organizer, depository educator, and movie festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. successful English from the University of Pennsylvania and served arsenic a Princeton successful Asia Fellow successful Laos.

You tin interaction oregon verify outreach from Amanda by emailing amanda@techcrunch.com or via encrypted connection astatine @amanda.100 connected Signal.

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