NFL Says Prediction Markets ‘Mimic’ Sports Betting & Covered Under League’s Current Gambling Policy

Prediction markets are no different than sports betting in the eyes of the NFL, and all league personnel will be prohibited from trading on sports event contracts this season.

NFL Chief Compliance Officer Sabrina Perel clarified the league’s stance in a national media call on Monday, stating: “Our view is that these platforms mimic sports betting, and that they are covered as prohibited conduct under our policy.”

“That would be for all of our personnel, and now we’re educating on this point as well, specifically stating that engaging in these platforms would be prohibited under the policy.”

The league is making a concerted effort to raise awareness that using platforms like Kalshi or Robinhood amounts to betting on sports.

NFL officials noted that no players were sanctioned for violating the league’s gambling policy last season (compared to 10 in 2023). But the emergence of prediction markets adds another layer of complexity if that’s to be the case again.

NFL Exec: Prediction Markets ‘Could be Susceptible to Manipulation’

The NFL’s collaborations with sportsbook operators and monitoring firms help safeguard sports betting in the regulated US market. NFL Vice President of Sports Betting David Highhill expressed concerns about that dynamic in the realm of prediction markets, which are regulated at the federal level by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). State regulators oversee sportsbooks.

Highhill stated: “For us, the key distinction is that, for now, prediction markets lack certain regulatory requirements that we know regulated sportsbooks are subject to, like information sharing, responsible betting tools and objectionable bet prohibitions.”

“We’re concerned that if these markets aren’t properly regulated, they could be susceptible to manipulation or price distortion. So, however this comes to be through the legal channels, I think it’s really important that we take advantage of the robust framework that we’ve put in place via the legalized sports betting process, and that all leagues have the same types of protections in place.”

Kalshi Head of Corporate Development, Sara Slane, acknowledged the NFL’s stated concerns and responded with a post on LinkedIn.

Slane commented: “At Kalshi, we welcome the dialogue — but it’s important to set the record straight: our markets operate under robust federal oversight by the CFTC, with safeguards that include deposit limits, self-exclusion tools, independent compliance monitoring, and real-time market surveillance.

“Unlike the patchwork of state-by-state sportsbook rules, federal regulation ensures consistency, transparency, and integrity across the board. Fan trust and the credibility of the game come first — and Kalshi is committed to working with the NFL and all leagues to protect both while embracing innovation and consumer demand.”

Last week, the NCAA stated its own concerns about the expansion of football markets at Kalshi and Robinhood. But JB Mackenzie, VP & GM of Futures and International at Robinhood, told Casino Beats that “contrary to the NCAA’s suggestion, sports prediction markets are not unregulated and unprotected.”

“Robinhood’s event contracts are offered through our federally registered and regulated Futures Commission Merchant, Robinhood Derivatives. Federal regulations provide important customer protections and market integrity safeguards, and we do not believe that these event contracts threaten competition integrity or student-athlete safety.”

Former NFL Stars Help Educate Today’s Players on Gambling Policy

NFL players learned about more than offensive and defensive schemes during training camp sessions this year. Perel, the NFL VP & CCO, noted that about 20 former players acted as “powerful messengers” in educating current players on the league’s gambling policy.

Perel stated: “I had terrific instances co-presenting with a legend, and, without calling out anyone in particular, what was consistent across each session was that it was palpable. It was really palpable in the room that it was a very serious topic, and that the players leaned in to hear the legends’ story and the message.”

Warrick Dunn, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Torry Holt, Chad Pennington, and Steven Jackson were among the former players involved in the training camp sessions on sports betting.

The NFL’s gambling policy features six primary rules for players:

• NEVER bet on the NFL. 
• Don’t have someone bet for you.
• Don’t gamble (no bets on sports, casino or card games) at your team facility/stadium, while traveling for a road game, or staying at a team hotel.
• Don’t share inside information (hasn’t been announced by league or team).
• Don’t enter a sportsbook during the NFL playing season.
• Don’t play daily fantasy football.

It’s not just about the players. Perel added that the NFL’s gambling education training reaches over 20,000 people annually, including coaches, officials, and medical and sideline staff.

— CasinoBeats Gambling Writer Adam Roarty contributed to this report