Key Takeaways
- A new memorandum of understanding between the CFTC and NHL establishes oversight protocols for hockey-related prediction market activity.
- This agreement mirrors a comparable arrangement the CFTC established with Major League Baseball in March 2026.
- Both Kalshi and Polymarket had previously secured official prediction market partnerships with the NHL.
- Since December 2025, CFTC Chair Michael Selig has served as the agency’s sole commissioner, despite the standard requirement for a five-member panel.
- Multiple states, including Ohio, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut, face legal challenges from the CFTC regarding prediction market jurisdiction.
The nation’s commodity futures watchdog and professional hockey’s premier league have established a collaborative framework to ensure the integrity of prediction markets centered on NHL competitions.
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 revealed the memorandum of understanding. According to CFTC Chair Michael Selig, this arrangement aims to shield participants from “insider trading, fraud, and other abuses.”
The National Hockey League had previously established official collaborations with Kalshi and Polymarket during the previous year, designating these platforms as the league’s authorized prediction market venues. By Thursday, event contracts covering the Stanley Cup playoffs, which kicked off in April, were already available on both services.
Expanding Network of Professional Sports Partnerships
This NHL partnership represents the second agreement of its kind between the CFTC and a prominent sports organization. The agency established a comparable 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 is working toward establishing similar partnerships with every major professional sports league.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expressed support for the partnership, emphasizing that integrity represents a “fundamental” element of the confidence that fans and partners invest in the sport. He noted the MOU will reinforce the league’s current surveillance infrastructure.
Under the terms of this arrangement, both entities will exchange information regarding the integrity of professional hockey 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 exclusive federal authority over prediction market regulation. The commission has initiated legal proceedings against state regulators in Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota.
The CFTC characterized the Minnesota situation as involving the state’s “first outright ban” on prediction market operations.
During a Senate Commerce Committee session this week, legislators expressed concerns regarding potential misuse within prediction markets. Committee Chair Ted Cruz cautioned that malicious parties, potentially including athletes, could erode fan confidence.
Despite this robust agenda, the CFTC currently functions with a single commissioner. The agency typically operates under a bipartisan five-member leadership structure. Selig has remained the only commissioner since December 2025.
Members of Congress 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 commence in September 2026.
