NFL Pressures Prediction Markets to Remove Contracts

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Mon Sep 07, 2026, 9:00 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

NFL Pressures Prediction Markets to Remove Contracts

nfl

The NFL is pressuring prediction-market operators to remove contracts tied to player injuries, officiating and potentially manipulated outcomes. The league renewed its request on September 4, warning that disputed markets remain available despite earlier objections.

NFL Chief Compliance Officer Sabrina Perel sent the latest letter to prediction-market operators ahead of the 2026 regular season. The league had previously identified contract categories that could create player-safety and competitive-integrity concerns.

"It is deeply concerning that bets within the objectionable categories that we identified months ago have been and continue to be listed as contracts on exchanges," read the letter, sent on Thursday from NFL chief compliance officer Sabrina Perel.

The renewed pressure highlights growing tensions between professional sports leagues and prediction markets. Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket have expanded sports offerings while the NFL continues challenging certain contracts.

NFL Targets Injury and Player Markets

The NFL's concerns center on contracts involving outcomes that could be manipulated or influenced by limited information. Player injuries and availability remain among the league's most sensitive areas.

The league has also objected to contracts involving individual plays and player performances. These markets can cover outcomes such as a quarterback's first pass or a running back's first carry.

Such contracts create different concerns from traditional NFL picks. Bettors making picks generally assess team form, player availability and other publicly available information.

By contrast, a contract tied to one specific play can potentially be influenced by a smaller group of participants. The NFL therefore believes these markets require greater scrutiny.

Prediction Markets Raise Age Concerns

The NFL and gaming industry representatives have also raised concerns about the age gap between prediction markets and traditional sportsbooks.

Licensed sportsbooks generally restrict sports wagering to adults aged 21 and older. Many prediction-market platforms, meanwhile, allow eligible users to trade contracts beginning at age 18.

The lower threshold has become a public-policy concern for the NFL and gaming associations. They argue that younger consumers could gain access to sports-related contracts before reaching the traditional legal gambling age.

The issue becomes more significant as prediction markets expand their NFL offerings. Greater access could expose younger users to products that closely resemble conventional sports wagers.

NFL Personnel Cannot Trade Prediction Markets

The NFL also maintains strict restrictions for its own personnel. Players, coaches and league staff are prohibited from using prediction markets under the league's integrity policy.

The NFL treats these event contracts with the same strict approach applied to sports betting. The policy reflects concerns that insiders could use their access to confidential information for financial gain.

That concern extends beyond direct manipulation. An individual with advance knowledge of an injury, lineup decision or other event could potentially trade a related contract before the information becomes public.

Prediction Markets Lack Direct League Oversight

Another major concern involves information sharing between prediction markets and professional sports leagues.

Licensed sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings and Fanatics operate within established sports-betting frameworks. Those relationships can include integrity-monitoring and information-sharing arrangements with leagues.

Prediction markets operate through federally regulated exchanges overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The NFL argues that this structure does not provide the same mandatory integrity data-sharing framework.

As a result, the league has less visibility into trading activity involving its games. That limitation could make it harder to identify suspicious trading patterns or potential insider transactions.

The issue differs from the environment surrounding conventional NFL odds. Sportsbooks can work directly with leagues on integrity monitoring while prediction-market exchanges operate under a different regulatory structure.

Prediction Markets Compete With Sportsbooks

The dispute comes as prediction markets increasingly compete for sports-focused consumers in the United States. Their event contracts can resemble wagers available through traditional sportsbooks.

Meanwhile, consumers continue researching NFL odds and comparing lines at US online sportsbooks before games. Prediction-market platforms are creating another avenue for consumers to speculate on NFL-related outcomes.

The distinction between event contracts and conventional sports wagers remains central to the broader regulatory debate. State regulators and prediction-market operators continue to disagree over how these products should be classified.

NFL Pressure Could Reshape Sports Contracts

The NFL's latest request reinforces its position that certain prediction contracts should not remain available around its games. The league particularly objects to markets involving injuries, individual plays, officiating and potentially manipulable outcomes.

The NFL also wants regulators and operators to address age restrictions and information-sharing concerns. Those issues could become increasingly important as prediction markets expand across professional sports.

For operators, the pressure could force changes to their NFL offerings. Continued disagreements could also push regulators and lawmakers toward clearer rules governing sports-related event contracts.

As the 2026 NFL season begins, the dispute could become an important test for prediction markets. Their ability to offer sports contracts will increasingly depend on how leagues, regulators and operators resolve these competing concerns.

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.

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