NBA Names Kalshi and Polymarket as Preferred Prediction Markets
The NBA partnered with Kalshi and Polymarket to integrate prediction markets, implementing integrity protections and a federal agreement to regulate trading.
The National Basketball Association has named Kalshi and Polymarket as its preferred prediction market exchanges, marking the league's first formal entry into the industry. The partnerships grant both platforms rights to use NBA intellectual property, marketing, and licensing. In exchange, the platforms must implement integrity protections, including limits on event contracts and the sharing of data regarding suspicious trades.
To support these safeguards, the NBA signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This strategic move follows similar partnerships established by the NHL and MLB, leaving the NFL as the only major American sports league without such an agreement. The NFL has conversely argued in a Supreme Court amicus brief that these markets should remain under state regulation.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver advocated for a consistent national policy to avoid the complexity of managing disparate regulations across roughly 40 different jurisdictions. Scott Kaufman-Ross, the NBA head of media distribution and partnerships, stated that the agreements are intended to create new opportunities for fan engagement while maintaining the integrity of the game as a top priority.
