The National Hockey League (NHL) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) signed a data sharing agreement Thursday to help protect prediction market integrity. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two parties allows representatives to relay confidential information as they act as integrity monitors for sports-related contracts that are frequently traded on apps like Kalshi and Polymarket.
In a Thursday morning social media post, CFTC chairman Mike Selig stated that the compact furthers the agency’s “commitment to improving data sharing between professional sports leagues and the Commission.”
Source: Mike Selig official ‘X’ account (May 21, 2026)
The chairman went on to say in an official press release that “this agreement is another step toward safeguarding the integrity of sports and protecting market participants in prediction markets from insider trading, fraud, and other abuses.”
The formal pact between the CFTC and the NHL comes just one day after the Senate Commerce Committee scrutinized prediction markets during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Key lawmakers on the Committee, including John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Maria Cantwell of Washington, would rather see prediction exchanges regulated by state and tribal authorities – as opposed to federal CFTC oversight.
The Commerce Committee’s general point of view is in stark contrast to the Senate Banking Committee, which moved the CLARITY Act to a floor vote last week. Prediction exchanges are in favor of the CLARITY Act along with its federal regulatory structure, while detractors believe the platforms are gaining an unfair advantage over sportsbook apps that have been authorized through statewide legislation.
The NHL released a statement of its own Thursday via its commissioner, Gary Bettman. “Integrity has always been and remains paramount to the NHL and fundamental to the trust our fans and partners place in our game,” said the league’s longest-serving executive.
“Our agreement with the CFTC enhances the comprehensive integrity monitoring systems already in place and strengthens our ability to identify, deter, and address potential risks. This MOU reflects a shared commitment to transparency, oversight and protecting the integrity of the game.”
In October 2025, the NHL became the first major sports league to sign an exclusive deal with prediction markets when it signed a multi-year deal with Polymarket and Kalshi. At the time, the move was viewed by Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour as a momentous victory against a series of rejections that prediction exchanges had faced up until that point.
Aside from its exclusive deals with Polymarket and Kalshi, the NHL is also partnered with sportsbook apps powered by BetMGM, FanDuel, and Caesars Entertainment. The sports betting apps operate under a mix of state and tribal licensing compacts while prediction markets are regulated federally by the CFTC.
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