NBA signs prediction market deals with Kalshi and Polymarket, adds CFTC integrity MOU

The National Basketball Association has made its first major move into prediction markets, announcing agreements with Kalshi and Polymarket that set out a framework for NBA-related event contracts. The announcement was made a day before the report was published.

As part of the package, the league has extended its existing relationship with DraftKings so that it covers sports trading as well as sports betting. DraftKings was the second operator to launch a prediction markets product, doing so in December last year, through its Super App. Kalshi and Polymarket become preferred prediction market exchanges of the NBA, and the report says FanDuel and other predictions platforms are expected to sign or extend deals soon. The three companies in the agreements will receive marketing and promotional rights across US media channels, along with access to official branding and intellectual property.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the NBA and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is intended to protect integrity. It requires surveillance data sharing and regulatory cooperation to look into suspicious trading activity. The framework also limits the event contracts that may be offered, restricting vulnerable player prop markets such as contracts tied to individual athlete performance or injuries, in order to prevent manipulation and harassment.

The move marks a change in tone for the league, which warned last year that the sector poses significant integrity risks. It follows the NHL, which signed with Kalshi and Polymarket in October 2025, and MLS, which agreed a deal with Polymarket in January 2026. The NFL is now the only major North American league without a prediction market partner, although it has signed several partnerships with traditional gambling companies, including a recent one with Midnite in the UK and Ireland.

The agreements arrive amid differing views among players. LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have signed sponsorship deals with Polymarket and Kalshi, while Victor Wembanyama recently said he would never partner with or endorse sports betting or prediction market companies.

Scott Kaufman-Ross, the NBA's Head of Media Distribution and Partnerships, said protecting the integrity of the game is the league's top priority. He said it is important to work constructively with regulators and operators as the category develops, and described the partnerships as a step toward a framework that creates new ways to engage fans.