NBA Partners With Kalshi and Polymarket on Prediction Markets

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Tue Oct 27, 2026, 9:00 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

NBA Partners With Kalshi and Polymarket on Prediction Markets

industry

The NBA has partnered with Kalshi and Polymarket to expand its presence in prediction markets while strengthening safeguards around basketball-related trading.

Announced on October 26, 2026, the agreements name both platforms as the league's Preferred Prediction Market Exchanges. The deals create commercial opportunities for both operators while introducing new measures to protect game integrity.

The NBA also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to support cooperation and information sharing.

"Protecting the integrity of the game is our top priority," said Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA Head of Media Distribution & Partnerships.

"As this category develops, we believe it is important to work constructively with regulators and operators to help ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These partnerships represent an important step in establishing a framework that creates new opportunities to engage our fans."

NBA Grants Kalshi and Polymarket Commercial Rights

The agreements give Kalshi and Polymarket access to NBA intellectual property, marketing opportunities, and promotional activations in the United States. Both platforms can also use official NBA data distributed by Sportradar to support authorized markets.

For Kalshi, the agreement marks a significant step in its efforts to expand its sports-related offerings. The platform sees the partnership as an opportunity to connect with basketball fans through event contracts.

"Announcing our partnership with the NBA is a significant milestone," said Adam Barrick, Head of Sports Partnerships at Kalshi.

"The relationship we've built together reflects a shared mindset that prioritizes fan engagement, innovation and safety. We believe in markets that are fair, safe, and open – it's why millions of people are coming to Kalshi to trade with nationwide consumer protections. It's an exciting time for both NBA fans and Kalshi users."

Polymarket also expects the agreement to deepen its connection with basketball audiences. Its platform offers event-based contracts that allow users to trade on real-world outcomes.

"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," said Ari Borod, President, Sports Business Development at Polymarket.

"This partnership will allow our customers to engage more deeply with the game of basketball on Polymarket. We look forward to partnering with the NBA on establishing a safe, transparent prediction market ecosystem for everyone."

New Safeguards Aim to Protect Game Integrity

Alongside the commercial agreements, the NBA is introducing restrictions designed to reduce manipulation and insider trading risks. The framework limits eligible markets and prohibits NBA and team personnel from trading NBA event contracts.

Both platforms must also cooperate with investigations involving suspicious trading activity. These requirements give the league additional ways to monitor potential integrity threats and address concerns involving confidential information.

The agreements also include contingency provisions intended to protect the NBA if courts ultimately rule against sports prediction markets in the United States. These clauses provide the league with contractual safeguards amid uncertainty over whether operators can continue offering sports-related event contracts nationwide.

The NBA's agreement with the CFTC adds another layer of cooperation. However, it does not resolve the ongoing dispute over whether sports event contracts fall under federal derivatives regulation or state gambling laws.

NFL Takes a Different Approach to Prediction Markets

The NBA's partnerships contrast with the NFL's more cautious position. The NFL remains the major U.S. sports league taking the clearest legal stand against the current approach to sports prediction markets.

Earlier this month, the NFL filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the dispute over state and federal regulatory authority. 

The league backed New Jersey's effort to challenge Kalshi's sports event contracts, arguing that states should regulate them as gambling rather than federally regulated derivatives.

The legal question has significant implications for operators and traditional sports betting businesses. Traditional US online sportsbooks generally operate under state-issued gambling licenses, while prediction market operators argue that their event contracts fall under federal oversight.

The Supreme Court's consideration of the dispute could shape how widely prediction markets can offer sports contracts. It could also affect the commercial agreements leagues are now signing with these platforms.

DraftKings Also Expands Its NBA Relationship

Kalshi and Polymarket are not the only companies involved in the NBA's evolving strategy. The league has expanded its existing relationship with DraftKings to include prediction markets and nationwide promotion.

These relationships could help the NBA reach fans across different platforms while maintaining consistent integrity standards. However, their long-term value will depend partly on how regulators and courts resolve the broader legal questions.

For fans researching NBA odds and NBA picks, the partnerships highlight the growing overlap between sports betting and prediction markets. Nevertheless, event contracts differ from traditional sportsbook wagers in their structure and regulatory treatment.

Ultimately, the NBA's agreements create new commercial opportunities while establishing safeguards for basketball-related markets. 

Their contingency provisions also reflect the legal risks surrounding this emerging sector, even as the league moves forward with its partners.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.