NHL strikes forecast market deals with Kalshi and Polymarket

The National Hockey League said Wednesday that it has reached a multi-year licensing agreement with prediction markets Calchi and PolyMarket. More sports tournaments may be coming soon.

Tarek Mansour, co-founder and CEO of Kalshsi, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the deal represents a “touching moment” for prediction markets and the company.

“For a league like the NHL to partner with us is a strong sign that prediction markets are here to stay,” Mansour said.

As part of the NHL deal, Kalshi and Polymarket will gain access to the league’s proprietary data and the rights to use NHL marks and logos. In return, Mansour said, the hockey league will obtain a set of customer protections. The NHL said both companies will have brand exposure during broadcasts.

Mansour told CNBC that the NHL deal could be replicated across other leagues: “Stay tuned for more announcements soon.”

Representatives for the NBA and NFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment. MLB declined to comment.

In August, the NFL expressed concern about prediction markets, which allow clients to trade on the outcomes of events across entertainment and culture such as election results or the length of an ongoing government shutdown.

Kalshi and other event trading platforms are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. However, many states, regulators and tribes are pushing back against prediction markets, arguing that they amount to unregulated gambling. There are several state and federal lawsuits in progress over the alleged risks.

“We are concerned that if these markets are not properly regulated, they may be vulnerable to manipulation or price distortion,” said David Highhill, head of NFL sports betting.

Keith Wachtel, president of NHL Business, told CNBC he feels comfortable with Kalshi and Polymarket from a regulatory and integrity standpoint, noting that sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings have also struck partnerships with prediction platforms.

He said the league’s interest in prediction markets lies in the opportunity to reach new audiences.

“The great thing about prediction markets is that they go beyond sports,” he said. “It gives the opportunity to watch a different audience grow significantly.”

Mansour said that criticizing the market is tantamount to being disruptive and that he feels confident in the regulatory setup of everything. Calci has spent years working with the federal government to create regulated prediction markets, he said.

“When we think about the announcement today, the NHL deal is really about that. It’s basically an affirmation of the fact that we have created the right set of customer protections and the right set of market safety measures to protect our markets, but also the game.”