The NFL has sent prediction markets a second demand to pull contracts it deems objectionable ahead of the 2026 season. In a 3 September letter, chief compliance officer Sabrina Perel said exchanges continue to list the same markets the league warned against in March.
The NFL identifies four banned categories. First, events easily manipulated by one person: kicker misses, a quarterback's first pass, broadcast mentions. Second, unethical by nature: player injuries, game availability, misconduct. Third, officiating-related: penalties, referee decisions, crew assignments. Fourth, advance-known information: starting lineups, opening plays, trades, draft picks, coaching decisions.
'We remain deeply concerned that contracts in the categories we identified months ago continue to appear on exchanges,' Perel wrote. The league argues such markets create risk for players, coaches and officials.
Kalshi, the largest platform, has responded. This week the exchange removed injury and availability markets after a CFTC inquiry. A month earlier it pulled broadcast-mention contracts. But Kalshi still offers markets on Week One starting quarterbacks, coach firings and rookie debuts — all falling under advance-known information.
The NFL has appealed to the regulator three times: on 15 May and 27 July it submitted CFTC comments demanding a rule-level ban on the four categories. It also wants prohibited-player lists, a 21-year age floor and deposit caps. Unlike the NBA, reportedly close to a prediction-market deal, the NFL has not signed such partnerships. It recently extended agreements with DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics, with operators accepting restrictions on the same bet categories.
