Kalshi removes X affiliate badges after gambling promo update

Kalshi removed all affiliate badges from accounts on X after the platform updated its paid partnership and promotional content rules last week to tighten oversight of gambling and prediction market promotions. The badges were icons on profiles that marked influencers and partners with revenue-sharing agreements.

Accounts connected to Kalshi reported that the badges disappeared. A page called Prediction News wrote that every affiliated account had lost its designation and was under review.

Scrutiny of disclosures intensified after X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, warned users about posts promoting Kalshi without clear labels. In a reply on X, Bier wrote: “Add a follow-up reply disclosing that this is a paid promotion for Kalshi. Otherwise, this will result in a suspension.” When the account responded that the specific post was not sponsored but acknowledged broader partnerships, Bier answered: “Thank you for informing the public that the other posts are also undisclosed ads.”

In a separate note on platform integrity, Bier wrote that X must prevent content that “misrepresents or adulterates” the public conversation and that undisclosed commercial ties undermine trust in what users view as authentic speech.

Affiliate marketing is commonly used by prediction markets, especially during high-profile political and macroeconomic events. Under X’s updated rules, paid promotions in these categories require clear labeling.

Kalshi’s action arrives as Polymarket maintains a visible presence on X. Accounts tied to Polymarket still display affiliate badges. Polymarket previously announced an official partnership with X to bring prediction market data into the platform.

For users and creators, the latest update centers on clearer labels for sponsored content involving gambling and prediction markets. For platforms that work with affiliates, the status of official badges and labeling requirements define how paid relationships appear on X.

The rapid rise of U.S. prediction markets has brought complaints of losses and questions about safeguards. Two young users said they lost thousands on Polymarket and Kalshi within weeks, with one 24-year-old claiming Kalshi ads on social media kept him trying to recoup losses. Experts cite weak regulatory standards, minimal self-control features, and aggressive advertising, while Kalshi’s fee revenue was estimated above $260 million over the past year. The CFTC plans to craft event contract rules, a process expected to take a year or more.