Kalshi Voids Some Bets on Khamenei’s Ouster as They’re ‘Directly Tied to Death’

Users have expressed confusion over unclear rules against ‘profiting from death.’ In a statement, Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour clarified that Kalshi will pay out positions on the “Ali Khamenei out as Supreme Leader?” market based on the last trading price before Khamenei’s death and emphasized that Kalshi’s policies aim to prevent gains from death-related markets. The company is also refunding related fees and reimbursing post-death share purchases. Some users criticized the handling of the situation, calling for clearer communication of rules or more precise market wording. They accused Kalshi of trying to benefit by permitting bets on Khamenei’s removal, which they argue couldn’t happen without his death, and not fully paying out these bets. Mansour maintained the importance of the Khamenei market but stated US regulations don’t allow markets directly tied to death. Unlike Polymarket, Kalshi didn’t have a market for betting on potential US military action against Iran. Polymarket reportedly hasn’t changed payouts for its similar market. However, it’s unknown if the bet was accessible in the US at the time, and neither company has provided further comments.