The NBA announced a partnership with prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket on Monday.
The league said the relationship creates an “integrity framework” that will give the NBA greater influence over the markets offered by an emerging industry that critics say blurs the line between gambling and financial trading.
“Protecting the integrity of the game is our top priority,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA head of media distribution and partnerships. “As this category develops, we believe it is important to work constructively with regulators and operators to help ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These partnerships represent an important step in establishing a framework that creates new opportunities to engage our fans.”
The NBA is the latest North American professional sports league to enter into partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket, joining the NHL and Major League Baseball.
“We were really just waiting for that moment where we felt like we had all of the proper pieces in place in order for us to get comfortable to move forward,” Kaufman-Ross said.
Adam Barrick, Kalshi’s head of sports partnerships, called Monday’s announcement a “significant milestone” for the company.
“The relationship we’ve built together reflects a shared mindset that prioritizes fan engagement, innovation and safety,” Barrick said. “We believe in markets that are fair, safe and open — it’s why millions of people are coming to Kalshi to trade with nationwide consumer protections. It’s an exciting time for both NBA fans and Kalshi users.”
Ari Borod, president of sports business development at Polymarket, said the relationship with the NBA will “bring fans closer to the game.”
“This partnership will allow our customers to engage more deeply with the game of basketball on Polymarket,” Borod said. “We look forward to partnering with the NBA on establishing a safe, transparent prediction market ecosystem for everyone.”
New York and New Jersey are among the states pursuing legal action against prediction markets, alleging they offer illegal sports betting. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide in the coming months whether to take New Jersey’s case.
“We’ll let the courts decide,” Kaufman-Ross said, per ESPN. “The jurisdictional issue is not our issue. Our issue is the way that our game is impacted.”
The NBA also expanded its agreement with DraftKings to include prediction markets.
