Key Points
- A new memorandum of understanding between the CFTC and NHL aims to safeguard prediction market integrity for professional hockey events.
- This partnership mirrors a comparable agreement the CFTC reached with Major League Baseball in March 2026.
- Both Kalshi and Polymarket were designated as official prediction market partners by the NHL in the previous year.
- Since December 2025, CFTC Chair Michael Selig has served as the agency’s sole commissioner, though the commission typically includes five members.
- Federal regulators have initiated legal proceedings against multiple states—Ohio, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and Minnesota—to preserve exclusive oversight of prediction markets.
America’s commodity futures regulator and the premier professional hockey organization have reached an information-sharing arrangement to safeguard the integrity of NHL-related prediction markets.
LATEST: ⚡ The CFTC signed a prediction market integrity agreement with the NHL, its second such pact with a major sports league in two months. pic.twitter.com/rKWFwMKiAT
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) May 21, 2026
On Thursday, May 21, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission made the memorandum of understanding public. According to CFTC Chair Michael Selig, the arrangement seeks to shield market participants from “insider trading, fraud, and other abuses.”
The National Hockey League had previously established official relationships with Kalshi and Polymarket during the prior year, designating both as the league’s authorized prediction market providers. By Thursday, event contracts related to the Stanley Cup playoffs, which commenced in April, were accessible on both platforms.
Expanding Sports League Collaboration Framework
This NHL partnership represents the second major sports league collaboration for the CFTC. The agency established a parallel MOU with Major League Baseball in March 2026, coinciding with MLB’s announcement of Polymarket as its Official Prediction Market Exchange.
Last week, Selig indicated the CFTC intends to establish comparable frameworks with every major professional sports organization.
Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL, expressed support for the partnership, emphasizing that integrity remains “fundamental to the trust our fans and partners place in our game.” He noted the MOU enhances the league’s current monitoring capabilities.
Under the terms of the arrangement, both entities will exchange information regarding professional hockey integrity and associated event contracts “upon request.”
Federal Agency Asserts Exclusive Oversight Role
Under Selig’s leadership, the CFTC has maintained an assertive position regarding its status as the exclusive federal overseer of prediction markets. The commission has initiated legal challenges against state regulators in Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota.
The CFTC characterized the Minnesota situation as involving that state’s “first outright ban” on prediction market platforms.
During a Senate Commerce Committee session this week, legislators expressed apprehension about potential misconduct in prediction markets. Committee Chair Ted Cruz cautioned that malicious participants, potentially including athletes, could erode fan confidence.
Despite this robust agenda, the CFTC continues operating with a single commissioner. The commission typically functions with a five-member bipartisan panel. Selig has served alone since December 2025.
Congressional representatives have called on President Trump to nominate candidates for the empty positions. As of Thursday, no nominations had been made public.
Additionally on Wednesday, prediction market operator Polymarket submitted a product self-certification document to the CFTC. This filing would enable the platform to bundle multiple underlying event contracts into a single offering.
The NHL’s 2026-27 season is set to kick off in September 2026.
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