TLDR
- The NFL has not granted prediction market exchanges official partnership status, unlike MLB, the NHL, and MLS.
- The league wants a 21+ minimum age standard, advertising limits, and protections against market manipulation before any deal happens.
- Novig released a “Responsible Trading Framework” with a 21+ age rule, which the company says was not made in response to NFL pressure.
- Other exchanges, including ProphetX, are pushing back on a 21+ standard, arguing prediction markets differ from traditional sports betting.
- Prediction market brands are reaching NFL fans through social media, apparel, and app ads without using official league marks.
The NFL is holding firm on a set of conditions before it will allow prediction market exchanges to become official partners of the league. Right now, none of the major exchanges have that status. Fans won’t see prediction market ads during games or in stadiums, and NFL teams cannot sign sponsorship deals with these companies.
The league laid out its concerns in a letter sent to the CFTC in July. Its main worries center on protecting the sport from manipulation and insider trading. The NFL also asked for advertising restrictions and a minimum trading age of 21.
What the NFL Wants
According to Eric Foote, founder and CEO of VIG Partners, the league has four or five key categories it wants addressed. Foote said the NFL may sit out part or all of this season while those talks continue.
One exchange, Novig, recently announced a “Responsible Trading Framework” that includes a 21+ age minimum. The policy also covers self-control tools for customers and rules for monitoring risky trading behavior.
Novig founder Jacob Fortinsky said the framework was built before the NFL released its own guidelines. He said the company has operated as a 21+ platform since before it became a federally regulated exchange.
Fortinsky added that the decision was based on how Novig wants to run its business, not pressure from the league. He said the goal is to set an industry standard others might follow.
Other Exchanges Push Back
Not every exchange agrees with the 21+ approach. Dean Sisun, co-founder and CEO of ProphetX, said he supports parts of Novig’s framework but not the age requirement.
Sisun argued that prediction markets work differently than traditional sports betting. He pointed out that people can serve in the military at 18 or trade stock options at that age, yet face a higher age limit for prediction markets.
Foote said it may be difficult for other exchanges to raise their age limits to 21 once they have started at 18. That gap could slow progress toward a league-wide standard.
Some leagues have already formed official ties with prediction market platforms. MLB has a relationship with Polymarket, and the NHL works with both Kalshi and Polymarket. MLS has a deal with Polymarket as well.
Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour recently suggested a deal with the NBA could be close. The NFL, however, has not signaled it is near any similar agreement.
Foote previously worked as Chief Strategy Officer at PointsBet during its official NFL partnership. He said skipping a formal deal can actually save money for exchanges, since official sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics reportedly pay the league in the ten figures combined.
Without official rights, prediction market companies are turning to other tactics. Foote said brand representatives are showing up at games wearing Kalshi apparel, and ads are appearing on apps like The Weather Channel and TeamReach.
Team logos and player images are also circulating on social media, sometimes without official permission. Foote said he sees this kind of marketing regularly, even outside major media markets like Hawaii, where he lives.
For now, the NFL and prediction market exchanges remain in a holding pattern. The league is waiting for exchanges to meet its terms, while companies test how far they can reach fans without a formal partnership.
