NBA strikes prediction market deals with Kalshi & Polymarket
DraftKings’ own prediction rights deal with the league is expected to land today.
The hit
The NBA has named Kalshi & Polymarket league sponsors, according to Sports Business Journal. The framework, unveiled Monday, sets up integrity-related information sharing with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission & lets other prediction operators advertise during games & sponsor teams.
Why it matters
The deal hands Kalshi & Polymarket league & team logos for their apps, plus promotional rights across media, while the NBA gets Sportradar data use, limits on manipulation-prone markets & cooperation on suspicious-trading probes. Sports Business Journal describes the league as opening a material new revenue stream, with sportsbooks DraftKings & FanDuel folding prediction products into existing apps.
The record
| Combined annual deal value | Estimated $100m-$200m, including rights fees, media spend, data fees & revenue shares, per industry sources cited by Sports Business Journal |
|---|---|
| CFTC age-limit request | NBA asked to raise the minimum age for prediction trading from 18 to 21; CFTC did not grant it |
| Process start | January 2025, when Kalshi listed NBA champion & win-total futures |
| Polymarket’s other league deals | NHL, ATP Tour, UFC & MLB; UFC & MLB deals exclusive |
| Age-21 policy adopted so far | Novig only, among prediction operators |
What happens next
Expanded agreements with other authorised operators, including Fanatics, are expected to follow.
Sources: NBA adds Kalshi, Polymarket as sponsors
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