Is Novig legal? Novig legal states, explained
Yes: Novig's exchange, Ludlow Exchange, LLC, has been a CFTC-designated contract market since June 16, 2026. As of October 17, 2026 Novig is available in every state except Nevada, Arizona and Michigan (21+ only), but several states have sent cease-and-desist letters and Novig is suing six.
Yes, Novig is legal at the federal level. Its exchange, Ludlow Exchange, LLC (d/b/a Novig), has been a CFTC-designated contract market since June 16, 2026. As of October 17, 2026, Novig says it’s available nationwide except Nevada, Arizona and Michigan, for users aged 21 and over. Connecticut, Missouri and Ohio have told it to stop offering sports contracts, and Novig is suing officials in six states.
Novig’s federal status
The CFTC’s order approved Ludlow’s application “for designation as a contract market” on June 16, 2026. It describes an anonymous central limit order book whose contracts are “cleared on a fully collateralized basis by a derivatives clearing organization.” Novig’s users become clearing members of Bitnomial Clearinghouse, LLC. Before that, Novig had operated a Colorado-licensed sportsbook (2023) and later a sweepstakes app, both now retired. Its help centre says Novig Cash and Coins “are retired; all activity now runs through a single real-money account.”
Novig legal states: the map
State by state
| State | What’s happened | Status (October 17, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada, Arizona, Michigan | Excluded by Novig. Arizona sent Novig a cease-and-desist in June 2025, under its earlier model (reported by InGame) | Not available |
| Connecticut | Department of Consumer Protection cease-and-desist to nine prediction markets, including Novig (September 10, 2026) | Contested |
| Missouri | AG cease-and-desist to “Ludlow Exchange, LLC (‘Novig’)” (September 17, 2026); Novig sued state officials October 16, 2026 | Contested |
| Ohio | Cease-and-desist notices to 10 operators including Novig (October 2, 2026; reported by Covers) | Contested |
| New York | Novig sued the Attorney General in federal court (August 2026) | Contested |
| Massachusetts | Novig sued state officials (August 2026); case stayed, state agreed not to enforce meanwhile (reported) | Contested |
| New Mexico | Novig sued state officials (August 2026); both sides sought a long pause (reported) | Contested |
| Washington | Novig sued state officials (August 2026) | Contested |
| Wisconsin | Novig sued state officials (August 2026) | Contested |
| All other states and DC | No state action found | Available |
Novig’s lawsuits are pre-emptive: each asks a federal court to declare that federal commodities law overrides the state’s gambling law for Novig’s sports contracts. “Contested” means there’s a live dispute, not that Novig has stopped operating there. Novig’s location check is the final word.
Why states object
Novig is sports-only, so its whole product sits in the part of the market states contest most. Missouri’s letter calls Novig “an online sports wagering platform” operating without a licence. Connecticut ordered operators to stop offering “sports event contracts.” Federal appeals courts are split on whether states can do this. See Is Kalshi legal? for the court picture, which applies to Novig too.
Age and eligibility
“You must be 21 or older to open and operate a Novig account.” That’s stricter than Kalshi or Polymarket US, which accept 18-year-olds. You must pass identity checks and be physically located in an eligible state each time you trade. For how Novig works, its fees and our verdict, read our Novig review. To compare every platform by state, see our legality tracker.
Frequently asked questions
Is Novig legal in the US?
Yes, federally. The CFTC designated Novig's exchange, Ludlow Exchange, LLC, as a contract market on June 16, 2026, and it clears through Bitnomial Clearinghouse. That's the same federal licence type as Kalshi. States still dispute sports event contracts, and several have targeted Novig.
What states is Novig available in?
Novig's help centre says it's 'available nationwide, with the exception of Nevada, Arizona, and Michigan.' Eligibility depends on where you are physically located when you trade, and Novig checks your location each time you open the app.
Why isn't Novig available in Michigan, Arizona or Nevada?
Novig doesn't explain its exclusions. All three states have taken a hard line on sports event contracts: Nevada and Michigan courts have ordered Kalshi to block sports, and Arizona's Department of Gaming sent Novig a cease-and-desist in 2025 over its earlier peer-to-peer model (reported).
Do you have to be 21 to use Novig?
Yes. 'You must be 21 or older to open and operate a Novig account,' per Novig's help centre, which is stricter than Kalshi or Polymarket US (18+).
Sources
- CFTC — Order of designation, Ludlow Exchange, LLC (June 16, 2026)
- Novig Help Center — Eligibility & legality
- Novig Help Center — Rules, legal restrictions & compliance
- Novig Help Center — What is Novig? (21+)
- Novig Help Center — Bitnomial Clearinghouse acknowledgement
- Connecticut Governor's Office — cease-and-desist orders to nine prediction markets (September 2026)
- Missouri Attorney General — cease-and-desist letter to Ludlow Exchange (Novig)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. James (S.D.N.Y.)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Campbell (D. Mass.)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Torrez (D.N.M.)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Brown (W.D. Wash.)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Kaul (W.D. Wis.)
- CourtListener — Ludlow Exchange, LLC v. Hanaway (E.D. Mo.)
- Gambling Insider — Novig Massachusetts and New Mexico case stays (secondary)
- Covers — Ohio cease-and-desist notices to 10 prediction-market companies (October 2026; secondary)
- SBC Americas — Novig launches with Colorado license (October 2023; secondary)
- InGame — Arizona cease-and-desist letters including Novig (June 2025; secondary)
Last checked:
Not legal or betting advice. 18+ (21+ where required). Prediction markets involve risk of loss — only trade what you can afford to lose. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET (National Problem Gambling Helpline, 24/7).