Editor’s Note: Following publication of this article, Kalshi deleted its social media post and took down a web page referenced in this article. Aside from this note, this article has not been changed following this development.
The sports betting platform Kalshi said that it’s seeking “ambassadors” on U.S. college campuses.
“Excited to welcome Yale, Harvard, Berkeley, Penn, Cornell, UVA, Michigan, Texas, Stanford, and NYU clubs into our ecosystem to both trade and build,” the company posted on the social media platform X.
“College campuses are the best place to spark new financial movements and will play a key role in bringing the next 100M [million] users to prediction markets,” the betting site added.
The Kalshi college ambassadors program drew criticism from some observers.
Promoting Gambling at Colleges?
“You can never start those kids too early on sports betting,” said Nigel Eccles, a former FanDuel CEO.
“Unbelievable,” said Gene Johnson, vice president of the gaming industry group Victor-Strategies. “Regulated sportsbooks often can’t offer in-state college sports and definitely can’t solicit underage college kids to place bets. Kalshi brags about it.”
Kalshi, like other so-called prediction platforms, operates under federal jurisdiction and allows users who are younger than 21.
Under state sports betting laws, the legal age is usually 21. However, daily fantasy sports gambling is widely allowed at 18.
Betting addiction statistics show that youth are more susceptible to gambling addiction.
Kalshi College Ambassadors Program
The platform is seeking influencers, apparently to promote its product.
The prediction-style sports betting sector is booming, with Kalshi’s valuation jumping from $2 billion in June to about $5 billion in September.
The application form for the Kalshi college ambassadors program asks applicants to provide links to their social media channels.
Another option is the “Kalshi Builders Program.” The company appears to be seeking startups in the prediction betting space to collaborate with or invest in.
Donald Trump Jr. is an advisor to Kalshi and an investor/advisor to Kalshi’s rival Polymarket.
Challenges to Kalshi’s Product
Kalshi has not been shy about promoting its sports betting product ahead of the 2025-26 NFL season. In social media ads, it has stated that it offers NFL betting nationwide.
It offers many NFL markets that are similar to the types of bets found on a traditional betting app, such as DraftKings.
States are challenging Kalshi’s sports event contracts as unlicensed gambling.
The Massachusetts Attorney General sued Kalshi in September 2025, alleging that Kalshi runs illegal online sports wagering and skirts consumer protections (such as age limits, RG tools, etc.).
Elsewhere, New Jersey’s gambling regulator issued a cease-and-desist against Kalshi, but a federal court granted Kalshi a preliminary injunction. The betting case could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Nevada and Maryland have also raised concerns with Kalshi’s sports markets.
The Kalshi college ambassadors program could raise more eyebrows among state regulators.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
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