NBA Partners with Kalshi and Polymarket, Expands DraftKings Agreement
United States.- 28 October 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com The National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced strategic agreements with Kalshi and Polymarket, naming both companies as its Preferred Prediction Market Exchanges.
The initiative also includes a memorandum of understanding with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and an expansion of the league’s commercial relationship with DraftKings to cover prediction markets and nationwide promotional opportunities.
The agreements mark a significant step towards integrating prediction market platforms into the commercial ecosystem of US professional sports.
Kalshi and Polymarket Become Preferred Partners
The agreements grant both platforms rights to use selected NBA intellectual property, alongside marketing opportunities and promotional activations across US media channels.
Kalshi and Polymarket will also receive official league data through Sportradar, the NBA’s Official Data Distribution Partner.
Access to official information is intended to support the accurate settlement of sports event contracts and strengthen oversight mechanisms.
Safeguards to Protect Sports Integrity
The agreements establish specific restrictions on NBA-related prediction markets.
Key provisions include:
- Limitations on the types of sports event contracts that platforms may offer.
- Prohibitions preventing league and team personnel from trading NBA event contracts.
- Information sharing concerning suspicious trading activity.
- Cooperation in investigations into potential irregularities.
These safeguards aim to reduce the risks of match manipulation, insider trading and other practices that could compromise sporting integrity.
Statements From the NBA
Scott Kaufman-Ross, Head of Media Distribution & Partnerships at the NBA, emphasised the importance of establishing safeguards as the sector develops.
“Protecting the integrity of the game is our top priority,” he stated.
Kaufman-Ross explained that the league believes constructive cooperation with regulators and operators is essential to ensuring appropriate protections are implemented.
CFTC Agreement Strengthens Information Sharing
The NBA has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the CFTC to strengthen institutional cooperation and information sharing concerning prediction markets involving the league.
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig welcomed the agreement, highlighting its contribution to the regulator’s ongoing collaboration with professional sports organisations.
The NBA joins MLB and NHL in initiatives aimed at preventing insider trading, fraud and other forms of misconduct within prediction markets.
DraftKings Expands Its NBA Partnership
Alongside the new agreements, the NBA announced an expansion of its existing relationship with DraftKings, incorporating prediction markets and additional nationwide promotional opportunities.
The extension will allow event contract products to become part of the companies’ broader commercial cooperation.
The league also confirmed plans to expand relationships with other existing official sports betting partners and additional industry participants in the coming weeks.
Enhanced Market Monitoring Measures
The announcements follow calls from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for greater access to prediction market trading data.
Silver has also emphasised the need for stronger controls over the types of contracts offered on NBA-related events.
His proposals include a minimum participation age of 21 and consistent federal oversight to address the complexities of operating across multiple regulatory jurisdictions.
The NBA is also developing internal artificial intelligence tools to help identify suspicious betting activity.
Additional Sports Betting Restrictions
The league has strengthened restrictions on certain betting markets offered by authorised operators ahead of the 2026–27 season.
The measures include:
- Same-player parlays combining multiple under selections.
- Markets involving opening-tip winners.
- Bets on players missing specific shots.
- Under markets involving players expected to participate for fewer than 12 minutes.
These restrictions are designed to reduce potential manipulation risks and improve oversight of sports betting activities.
Fan Reactions and Regulatory Debate
The new partnerships have also attracted criticism from some basketball supporters.
Concerns have focused on the growing presence of prediction market platforms in professional sports and the potential financial risks associated with these products.
The debate comes as US authorities continue to disagree over the legal classification of sports event contracts and the division of regulatory powers.
Industry Impact and Next Steps
The appointment of Kalshi and Polymarket as preferred exchanges represents a significant development for the commercial expansion of sports prediction markets.
Official data access, promotional rights and regulatory cooperation could strengthen both companies’ positions within the NBA ecosystem.
Meanwhile, the expanded DraftKings agreement highlights the league’s interest in diversifying its commercial relationships within a growing but legally contested sector.
The NBA expects to announce additional collaborations with operators and industry partners in the coming weeks.
Edited by: @fonta
