NHL and MLB Sign With Polymarket and Kalshi as Their Unions Ask CFTC to Intervene

Key Takeaways:

• Player unions for the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS jointly asked the CFTC to prohibition “negative outcome” and “mention” lawsuit contracts.
• The NHL has information partnerships with some Polymarket and Kalshi, and Polymarket is MLB’s exclusive prediction-market partner.
• The CFTC received implicit 1,500 nationalist comments earlier its rulemaking input model closed connected April 30.

Player Associations Across Five Major US Sports Leagues File Joint Comment

The joint comment, filed connected April 30 (the last time of the window) by subordinate associations representing the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS done the lobbying steadfast Elevate Government Affairs, urged the CFTC to prohibition contracts based connected a “negative” result that tin beryllium manipulated by a azygous individual, including bets connected whether an jock is injured oregon penalized. The unions besides asked for a prohibition connected “mention contracts” tied to whether circumstantial words similar “concussion” are spoken during unrecorded broadcasts, calling them “just different mode of betting connected a antagonistic outcome.”

The unions argued that prop bets connected idiosyncratic jock show exposure players and their families to harassment from disgruntled bettors, citing a New York Times survey published successful The Athletic from November 2025, which reported that 78% of nonrecreational shot players said legalized sports betting had changed however fans dainty them. “Individuals targeting our members bash not separate betwixt state-regulated wagers and contracts offered connected prediction markets,” the unions wrote. “From their constituent of view, a stake is simply a stake careless of wherever it is placed.” The Athletic portion besides includes somber testimonies from players of the NHL, the NFL, and the NBA, though it is worthy noting that it does not successful immoderate mode notation prediction markets crossed the piece.

The NHL past twelvemonth became the archetypal US pro league to participate the prediction-market space, signing multi-year information partnerships with some Polymarket and Kalshi. MLB has Polymarket arsenic its exclusive prediction-market spouse nether a multi-year statement and has signed a memorandum of knowing with the CFTC connected data-sharing. The MLS and UFC person besides entered selling partnerships with prediction-market operators.

The NBA, which has not signed a akin partnership, filed its ain missive calling for subordinate prop markets to beryllium “prohibited successful the adjacent term, pending the improvement of due and sensible restrictions to mitigate integrity risks.” The PGA Tour, ATP Tour, and MLB also filed comments asking the bureau to show susceptible markets. Spillane’s NBA missive further called for raising the minimum trading property to 21, successful enactment with the ineligible sports betting property successful astir US states.

The CFTC closed its 45-day rulemaking input model connected April 30 with implicit 1,500 nationalist comments received. Chair Michael Selig defended the agency’s posture successful effect to a Wall Street Journal editorial successful a missive to the exertion published May 1, writing that the CFTC holds “exclusive authorization implicit prediction markets” nether the Commodity Exchange Act and informing that restrictive rulemaking would propulsion enactment offshore.

Selig has repeatedly framed exchanges arsenic self-regulatory organizations liable for policing their ain markets, astatine the clip erstwhile Toronto Raptors guardant Jontay Porter was banned for beingness successful April 2024 for sharing confidential accusation with bettors who had wagered helium would underperform statistical “under” lines. Former Miami Heat defender Terry Rozier was arrested successful October 2025 arsenic portion of a national probe into prop-bet manipulation, with prosecutors expected to record further charges by mid-May.