NFL asks prediction markets to act on ‘easily manipulated‘ bets
CFTC Chair Michael Selig signaled that the agency would defer to the football league in calling for changes to event contracts that could be manipulated by a single person.
The National Football League (NFL) has reportedly sent letters to Kalshi, Polymarket and other prediction market platforms in an effort to block the companies from offering trades on football events that can be easily manipulated or determined in advance.
According to a Monday ESPN report, the letters to the prediction market companies said that the NFL objected to certain types of event contracts offered on the platforms, including those that could be easily manipulated by a single person — such as an announcer’s words, player signings, coach firings and bets related to injuries on the field. League executive vice president Jeff Miller reportedly said the letter followed talks with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
“When a league raises manipulation concerns about a contract proposed to be listed on a prediction market, the agency considers the league’s concerns and may prohibit the contract from being listed,” said CFTC Chair Michael Selig in a Monday interview with ESPN posted to X, adding:
