TLDR
- The CFTC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the NHL to protect the integrity of prediction market betting on hockey games.
- The deal follows a similar MOU with Major League Baseball signed in March 2026.
- The NHL had already named Kalshi and Polymarket as its official prediction market partners last year.
- CFTC Chair Michael Selig has been the agency’s only commissioner since December 2025, despite the panel usually requiring five members.
- The CFTC has been filing legal actions against states including Ohio, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut to maintain its sole authority over prediction markets.
The US financial regulator and professional hockey’s top league have agreed to share information to protect the integrity of prediction markets tied to NHL games.
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
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced the memorandum of understanding on Thursday, May 21. CFTC Chair Michael Selig said the deal is designed to protect users from “insider trading, fraud, and other abuses.”
The NHL had already formed official partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket last year, naming them the league’s official prediction market platforms. Event contracts for the Stanley Cup playoffs, which began in April, were already listed on both platforms as of Thursday.
A Growing Pattern of Sports League Agreements
The NHL deal is the second such agreement the CFTC has made with a major sports league. In March 2026, the agency signed a similar MOU with Major League Baseball, at the same time MLB announced Polymarket as its Official Prediction Market Exchange.
Selig said last week that the CFTC is pursuing similar arrangements with all major professional sports leagues.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman welcomed the agreement, stating that integrity is “fundamental to the trust our fans and partners place in our game.” He said the MOU strengthens the league’s existing monitoring systems.
The agreement means the two organizations will share information about the integrity of professional hockey and related event contracts, “upon request.”
CFTC Pushes for Sole Regulatory Authority
The CFTC under Selig has taken a firm stance on its role as the only federal regulator of prediction markets. The agency has filed legal actions against state authorities in Ohio, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and Minnesota.
The Minnesota case was described by the CFTC as involving that state’s “first outright ban” of prediction market platforms.
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing this week, lawmakers raised concerns about the potential for abuse in prediction markets. Committee Chair Ted Cruz warned that bad actors, including athletes themselves, could undermine fan trust.
Despite this activity, the CFTC is operating with only one commissioner. The agency’s leadership is normally made up of a bipartisan panel of five. Selig has been the sole commissioner since December 2025.
Lawmakers have urged President Trump to nominate members to fill the vacant seats. As of Thursday, no nominations had been publicly announced.
Also on Wednesday, prediction market company Polymarket filed a product self-certification letter to the CFTC. The filing would allow the platform to combine two or more underlying event contracts into one on its platform.
The NHL’s 2026-27 season is scheduled to begin in September 2026.
