News arrived Thursday that the National Hockey League (NHL) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) agreed to a confidential, two-way information sharing partnership.
What did not accompany the press release from the CFTC were any significant details about exactly what information the two sides will exchange via their memorandum of understanding.
The CFTC release said the deal is “intended to protect the integrity of professional hockey and maintain fair and transparent prediction markets.”
“I’m proud the CFTC and NHL have officially signed an MOU, furthering the agency’s commitment to improve data sharing between professional sports leagues and the Commission,” said CFTC Chairman Michael Selig in the release. “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. I applaud NHL Commissioner (Gary) Bettman for collaborating with the CFTC and taking a leading role in protecting the integrity of professional hockey in our markets.”
The NHL agreement follows a similar deal struck earlier this year between MLB and the CFTC. Both deals include language making clear the memos do not supersede any forthcoming law changes or judicial decisions.
How could NHL information be used?
How the CFTC might activate integrity-related information to police operators it largely expects to self-regulate its markets is unclear, though. While the federal regulator recently took action against an Army soldier accused of using classified information to make more than $400,000 in profit on Polymarket, it has not yet undertaken similar enforcement in the sports event contract space.
Sports event contracts at prediction markets continue to face legal and regulatory scrutiny at the state and federal level. Yet any final outcome in the courts or in statehouses appears at least months, if not years, into the future as signals point to the legality questions ending up in the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the absence of that clarity, the NHL continues to move forward with prediction markets. In October 2025, the league partnered with Kalshi and Polymarket, pointing to the opportunity to bring in new audiences.
“As prediction markets continue to evolve at a rapid pace, partnering with the two market leaders, Kalshi and Polymarket, provides a tremendous opportunity for the broadest fan engagement during the NHL season,” NHL Business President Keith Wachtel said at the time. “Polymarket and Kalshi are ideal partners as this category continues to grow and expand.”
Some history with NHL, data sharing
Seemingly long ago, the NHL joined other major U.S. professional sports leagues in opposing legalized sports betting outside Nevada. After the PASPA decision in 2018, however, the league quickly onboarded official partners in sportsbook and official data sharing deals.
In March 2019, Bettman downplayed integrity as a root cause of getting into business with sports betting operators and suppliers.
“Times have changed. The concerns we had at 10,000 feet had nothing to do with the integrity of the game. It had to do with atmospherics and the like, and the practical element as to how this was all going to work,” Bettman said at an American Gaming Association event. “Once the Supreme Court ruled, we got to get with the program. And frankly, as a practical matter, I owed it to our fans, I owed it to our clubs, to embrace the evolving world, whether it’s sports betting or changes in technology. In this day and age, you either evolve or become extinct.”
At the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, Bettman echoed fellow commissioners in calling for uniform federal rules governing sports betting. Years later, he soon might find that singular playing field, but in an area closely adjacent to regulated sports betting rather than in it.
“Integrity has always been and remains paramount to the NHL and fundamental to the trust our fans and partners place in our game,” Bettman said in the CFTC release. “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.”
