NBA’s Kalshi and Polymarket deals put player props and parlays under league scrutiny

The NBA has agreed partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket that give the league a say over the types of basketball prediction markets the exchanges can offer. The agreements come ten days after reports of new restrictions on player props and certain parlays at its sportsbook partners.

The exchanges receive preferred-partner status, NBA branding rights and official league data. Their agreements also restrict permissible markets and require cooperation on suspicious trading. The NBA separately signed an information-sharing agreement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Player props and parlays face selective restrictions

The league’s sportsbook restrictions provide the clearest indication of the products under scrutiny. In an October 16 report, Front Office Sports described a letter to sportsbook operators and a memo to teams setting out the changes.

They include individual-player markets on who records the first points, rebound, assist, steal or block. Restrictions also cover the opening tip and bets on whether a player misses a particular shot attempt.

Certain parlays involving statistical unders are affected, including combinations of multiple under legs tied to one player. The restrictions also address players expected to receive limited playing time. They do not amount to a ban on every under bet or every parlay.

The October 26 partnership coverage reports that the NBA’s prediction-market partners will have to follow the sportsbook restrictions. The earlier report had identified prediction markets as outside those agreements.

Scott Kaufman-Ross, the NBA’s head of media distribution and partnerships, told the Associated Press: “We will have the right to approve the types of markets that are available on our games.”

Official NBA data and suspicious-trading checks

The commercial agreements give Kalshi and Polymarket access to official NBA data distributed by Sportradar for operating and settling authorised markets. They also include NBA intellectual-property rights and marketing opportunities in the United States.

In its own announcement, Kalshi said it would establish direct channels with the NBA to share integrity data, report suspicious trading and cooperate on investigations. The agreement expressly prohibits league and team personnel from trading NBA event contracts.

Kalshi also described existing safeguards involving IC360 for market surveillance and identification of prohibited traders, and Signify for responding to online abuse and threats against athletes and coaches.

DraftKings joins through an expanded agreement

DraftKings’ existing NBA relationship now includes prediction markets and nationwide promotion. It has an authorised-operator relationship, distinct from the preferred status awarded to Kalshi and Polymarket.

The league expects further operator agreements in the coming weeks. Financial terms of the Kalshi and Polymarket partnerships have not been disclosed.

Separately, the CFTC confirmed that its memorandum of understanding with the NBA provides for regular communication and information sharing on market integrity. The regulator described the arrangement as part of its efforts to address insider trading and fraud in prediction markets.

The public announcements do not provide a contract-by-contract implementation timetable or explain how existing positions will be treated. They establish restrictions and cooperation obligations, but do not identify specific markets already removed from either exchange.

For more coverage of trading activity and market structure, visit PF Sports.