英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Kalshi in court over 19 federal lawsuits. What’s the future of prediction markets?（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

Prediction markets are platforms where people can place bets on the outcomes of events, like political elections or economic indicators. These markets have grown rapidly, especially during Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States. However, one of the major players in this industry, a company called Kalshi, is currently facing significant legal challenges. Kalshi is involved in 19 federal lawsuits, which are creating uncertainty about the future of prediction markets.

Kalshi’s legal troubles stem from its business model. The company allows users to wager on various real-world events, which has raised questions about whether these activities should be classified as gambling. In the United States, gambling is heavily regulated, and Kalshi’s operations must comply with these regulations. The outcome of these lawsuits could set important precedents for how prediction markets are treated under the law.

The rapid growth of prediction markets like Kalshi’s shows that there is a strong interest in betting on real-world events. Many people see these platforms as a way to make money, while others find them an exciting way to engage with current events. However, the legal issues facing Kalshi highlight the potential risks involved in this industry.

If Kalshi loses these lawsuits, it could face severe penalties or even be forced to shut down. This would have a significant impact on the prediction market industry as a whole, possibly leading to stricter regulations and reduced growth. On the other hand, if Kalshi wins, it could pave the way for more companies to enter the market and for the industry to expand further.

The future of prediction markets remains uncertain, and the outcome of Kalshi’s legal battles will be closely watched by both supporters and critics of the industry. The decisions made in these cases could shape the development of prediction markets for years to come.

📝 Vocabulary

  • lawsuit: a legal case brought to a court（訴訟）
    例文: “The company faced a lawsuit over its business practices.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • file a lawsuit
    • lawsuit against
    • settle a lawsuit
  • prediction: a statement about what will happen in the future（予測）
    例文: “His prediction about the election results was accurate.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • accurate prediction
    • make a prediction
    • weather prediction
  • wager: to risk money on an event by guessing the result（賭ける）
    例文: “He wagered $100 on the outcome of the game.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • place a wager
    • wager on
    • high-stakes wager
  • regulation: a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority（規制）
    例文: “New regulations were introduced to improve safety standards.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • government regulation
    • strict regulation
    • comply with regulations
  • precedent: an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example（前例）
    例文: “The court’s decision set a new precedent for future cases.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • legal precedent
    • set a precedent
    • precedent for

✏️ Grammar Point

Conditional Sentence (Type 1) – “If Kalshi loses these lawsuits, it could face severe penalties or even be forced to shut down.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
条件が現実になる可能性がある場合に使われる条件文

💡 使用場面

（条件が満たされると特定の結果が生じる状況で使用されます。ビジネスや日常会話で、未来についての予測や計画を話す際に使われます。）

📝 使用例文

“例: In a business meeting, you might say: ‘If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.’”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: Kalshi is facing 19 federal lawsuits related to its prediction market activities.
  2. MCQ: What is the main legal issue facing Kalshi?
    a) Tax evasion
    b) Environmental regulations
    c) Gambling classification
    d) Data privacy
  3. MCQ: What could happen if Kalshi loses the lawsuits?
    a) It could dominate the market
    b) It could face severe penalties or shut down
    c) It could avoid all regulations
    d) It could expand internationally
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. True
  2. c) Gambling classification
  3. b) It could face severe penalties or shut down

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What are prediction markets?
  2. Why is Kalshi facing legal challenges?
  3. What does the word “precedent” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. Prediction markets are platforms where people can place bets on the outcomes of events.
  2. Kalshi is facing legal challenges because its activities might be classified as gambling.
  3. “Precedent” means an earlier event or action regarded as an example.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

予測市場は、政治選挙や経済指標などのイベントの結果に賭けることのできるプラットフォームです。この市場は、特にトランプ大統領の第2期中に急成長しました。しかし、主要な企業であるKalshiは、19件の連邦訴訟に直面しており、そのため業界の未来が不透明になっています。これらの訴訟の結果は、予測市場全体に影響を与え、今後の規制が厳しくなる可能性があります。日本国内でも、似たようなリスクと成長機会が考えられ、どのように法的に位置づけられるかが注目されています。

Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/30/nx-s1-5691837/lawsets-prediction-market-kalshi

RELATED POST