NFL objects to bets on announcer's words, player signings, and injuries, citing manipulation risks, as the CFTC supports the league's concerns.
The National Football League (NFL) has sent letters to prediction market platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, demanding they stop offering trades on football-related events that could be manipulated by individuals, according to a report from ESPN.
The letters specifically target contracts involving announcer's statements, player signings, coach dismissals, and on-field injuries, which the NFL claims can be determined or influenced in advance by a single person.
NFL's Coordination with Regulators
NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller confirmed the letters followed discussions with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), indicating the league's efforts to address these vulnerabilities.
CFTC Chair Michael Selig, in an interview with ESPN, affirmed that the agency considers manipulation concerns raised by sports leagues and may prohibit such contracts, emphasizing that leagues are best positioned to identify these issues.
Under Selig's leadership, the CFTC has asserted exclusive jurisdiction over prediction markets, as seen in a recent memorandum of understanding with Major League Baseball for integrity protections.
U.S. lawmakers have introduced bills in response to unusual bets on prediction platforms, including measures to combat insider trading and restrict wagers by officials, amid growing scrutiny of these markets.
Cointelegraph reached out to Kalshi and Polymarket for comments on the NFL's letters but did not receive immediate responses, highlighting ongoing tensions in the regulation of prediction markets.
