The NBA is betting on prediction markets for the first time, designating Kalshi and Polymarket as its preferred exchanges. Under the agreements, the league said it will have "significant integrity" protections for NBA markets, including limits on which event contracts can be featured and a requirement to share information about suspicious trades.
"Protecting the integrity of the game is our top priority," said Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA head of media distribution and partnerships, in a press release. "These partnerships represent an important step in establishing a framework that creates new opportunities to engage our fans."
The league also signed a memorandum of understanding with the CFTC, the federal agency that argues prediction markets fall under its jurisdiction. The memo aims to maintain the integrity of both the NBA and event contract markets through information exchanges.
As preferred exchanges, Kalshi and Polymarket receive rights to use NBA intellectual property along with marketing and licensing rights. Adam Barrick, head of sports partnerships at Kalshi, said in the release: "The relationship we've built together reflects a shared mindset that prioritizes fan engagement, innovation and safety."
Ari Borod, president of sports business development at Polymarket, said: "The NBA is one of the most influential sports leagues in the world, and we're excited to work together to bring fans closer to the game."
The NBA joins the NHL, which announced partnerships with both platforms in October 2025, and the MLB, which struck a deal with Polymarket in March. The NFL remains the outlier among major US sports leagues; earlier in October it filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court arguing that sports-related event contracts should be regulated by states rather than the CFTC. Kalshi told CNBC it had tried to work more closely with the NFL, but the league had not engaged.
Prediction-market platforms and the CFTC maintain that event contracts are swaps, a type of derivative, and therefore subject to federal oversight. States across the country argue that the offerings amount to sports betting and should be regulated at the state level. Courts have issued conflicting rulings, and many expect the Supreme Court will need to settle the dispute.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking to CNBC in early October, took a different stance on the regulation question: "From at least the NBA standpoint, we have roughly 40 different jurisdictions regulating us right now. So to have a consistent policy nationally, I think would be in our best interest."