NFL demands Kalshi and Polymarket drop 'objectionable' player and officiating bets
The NFL sent a new letter to prediction market operators including Kalshi and Polymarket, demanding they remove what it calls 'objectionable bets.' The league targets contracts tied to player injuries, officiating, information known in advance, and outcomes it says can be manipulated by a single person. The NFL described the continued availability of these markets as 'deeply concerning.' The league remains the strongest skeptic of prediction markets among major US sports leagues.
The NFL's explicit labeling of Kalshi and Polymarket products as 'bets' arms state attorneys general who argue CFTC-registered sports contracts are disguised gambling. The league's language feeds directly into pending suits in Connecticut, Nevada, and New Jersey that test whether federal preemption shields these platforms from state gaming laws. Kalshi and Polymarket built their sports verticals on the claim that CFTC registration distinguishes them from sportsbooks; the NFL's rejection undercuts that narrative in courtrooms and legislatures.
Other leagues may soften their own opposition if the political heat rises, but the NFL's hard no leaves no room for negotiated compromise. The timing ahead of the 2026 season forces both platforms to choose between yanking contract types or defending them against a well-resourced adversary with public opinion on its side. A platform that concedes and pulls the contracts signals weakness to every other league; one that refuses deepens its legal exposure across multiple states.
The NFL's renewed letter deepens a stance that already locks Kalshi and Polymarket out of league partnerships, as the only major US sports league to reject all prediction market deals while MLB and the NHL aligned with the industry.