Plus500 launches CFTC-regulated sports event contracts in US via Kalshi partnership
Plus500 has launched CFTC-regulated sports event contracts in the US through its Plus500 Futures platform, according to CEO David Zruia. The London-listed broker partnered with Kalshi for the offering, entering the regulated prediction market alongside established platforms. The timing aligns with the World Cup, which has driven record interest in sports-linked event contracts among retail traders seeking regulated alternatives to offshore sportsbooks.
For Plus500, the Kalshi partnership provides immediate regulatory cover and market access without the multi-year CFTC registration timeline that trapped earlier entrants. The World Cup window is narrow: Rothera already notched $2 billion in related volume, and Kalshi-Polymarket combined June flow hit $45 billion, so latecomers must capture traders now or face a post-tournament liquidity cliff.
Plus500's existing retail derivatives user base gives it a cheaper acquisition channel than pure-startup venues, but its futures platform infrastructure must handle event-contract settlement speeds or risk the payout disputes that state regulators use to push gambling-label enforcement. The first major Plus500 settlement failure would become exhibit A for attorneys general already probing whether CFTC-regulated sports contracts differ materially from prohibited wagers.
Plus500 becomes the fourth mainstream financial entrant chasing World Cup-driven prediction market volume that has already delivered $2 billion across Kalshi, Polymarket, and Rothera, after the Robinhood-backed venue's record debut.