Commodity Futures Trading Commission and NHL Announce Prediction Markets Cooperation Agreement

(AsiaGameHub) –   The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Hockey League concerning prediction markets.

This arrangement follows efforts by American professional sports leagues to curb insider trading on such markets. It was finalized shortly after the CFTC established a comparable agreement with Major League Baseball.

The CFTC stated the pact with the NHL aims to “protect the integrity of professional hockey and maintain fair and transparent prediction markets.”

CFTC Chairman Michael Selig posted on X that the MOU will enhance information exchange between the agency and pro sports leagues.

“Together, we’re taking another step toward safeguarding the integrity of sports and protecting market participants in prediction markets from abuses,” he wrote.

NHL: Prediction Markets Moves

Trading in NHL-related contracts is surging on platforms such as Polymarket. Currently, the trading volume for the outright winner of the 2026 Stanley Cup is approaching $80 million.

On the same platform, contract volumes for the NHL Conference Finals game on May 22 between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights have exceeded $140,000.

In October of the previous year, the NHL signed a multi-year licensing agreement with prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi.

This pioneering deal represented the first instance of a major U.S. sports league collaborating with prediction markets.

The agreement provided Kalshi and Polymarket rights to use NHL logos. In exchange, the operators committed to implementing customer safeguards for professional hockey contracts.

Consequently, both operators now state they will prohibit trading from “current and former [NHL] players, coaches, and staff.”

Controversy Brews

U.S. professional sports leagues seem generally accepting of contracts based on game outcomes. However, disputes have emerged regarding events potentially influenced by a single individual.

Contracts based on words or phrases spoken by NHL TV announcers during games continue to be widely traded.

National Football League officials have urged the CFTC to restrict trading in contracts linked to these types of events.

Senior figures in the gaming industry have also questioned the CFTC’s oversight of prediction market operators.

Among them is American Gaming Association CEO Bill Miller, who told the Senate this week that the CFTC should focus on financial markets, not “Monday Night Football.”

New Jersey is seeking to bring its legal case against Kalshi to the Supreme Court. Legal analysts believe the state stands a strong chance, suggesting the court’s “overwhelmingly conservative” leanings may aid New Jersey’s position.

Nevertheless, the regulator is holding firm. The CFTC persists in legal disputes with states attempting to prohibit Kalshi and Polymarket.

Chairman Selig added that the new NHL agreement would “solidify the intent to share information and coordinate to protect the integrity of both professional hockey and related event contracts offered on CFTC-regulated exchanges.”

The CFTC and NHL have designated representatives who will “communicate regularly to discuss issues related to integrity, share information confidentially, and ensure open lines of communication.”

The NHL stated it will employ “layered protections” to oversee hockey markets and “work directly with its partners to ensure integrity.”