Kalshi removes X affiliate badges after policy shift tightens promotion rules

Prediction market platform Kalshi has removed all affiliate badges from accounts on X after recent policy changes restricted paid affiliate promotions tied to gambling and sports betting content, Front Office Sports first reported.

The badges had functioned as visible markers for influencers and affiliates who partnered with Kalshi to promote event contracts, typically under revenue-sharing arrangements.

They were not employees, but the icon signaled a formal relationship with the platform.

The decision follows an update to X’s paid partnership and promotional content rules, rolled out last week, aimed at curbing undisclosed advertisements and tightening oversight of gambling and prediction market content.

Multiple accounts affiliated with Kalshi confirmed the badges were removed, with one page called "Prediction News" posting that every affiliated account had lost its designation and was "under review."

Questions around disclosure further intensified after X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, warned accounts about undisclosed paid promotions tied to Kalshi.

"Add a follow-up reply disclosing that this is a paid promotion for Kalshi. Otherwise, this will result in a suspension," Bier wrote in response to one account. When the account replied that the specific post was not sponsored but acknowledged broader partnerships, Bier responded: "Thank you for informing the public that the other posts are also undisclosed ads."

In a separate post addressing platform integrity more broadly, Bier said X must guard against content that "misrepresents or adulterates" the public conversation, adding that undisclosed commercial relationships undermine trust in what users perceive as authentic speech.

Changes at X

The shift mirrors earlier enforcement actions. In January, X revised its API policies in ways that affected certain crypto information platforms like Kaito, a move that coincided with sharp volatility in the platform's native token.

Affiliate marketing has been a primary growth lever for prediction markets, particularly during high-profile political or macro events. But the model depends heavily on visibility and monetization within social feeds. Limiting promotional badges or requiring stricter disclosures alters that dynamic, potentially pushing affiliates toward more organic engagement or alternative channels.

Kalshi itself — not X — removed the badges, a Kalshi spokesperson confirmed. They told The Block that the program had become difficult to manage as confusion grew around what the badges signified.

"We’ve decided to remove Kalshi badges," the spokesperson said. "People loved the badges, and it was a fun way to engage the community, but it became too difficult to police, and people confused badged accounts with Kalshi-endorsed messages. We’ll figure out other ways to make things fun for our traders."

For now, affiliates tied to Polymarket, a major Kalshi competitor, retain their badges. Polymarket previously announced an official partnership with X to integrate prediction market data directly into the platform.

Updated to include Kalshi's comments on badge removal.