NCAA Calls for Halt to College Sports Prediction Markets, Citing Athlete Welfare and Integrity Concerns
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The National Collegiate Athletic Association is urging federal regulators to temporarily suspend prediction markets offering trades on college sports, raising concerns about the well-being of student-athletes and the potential for compromised competition.
The NCAA, in a letter sent Wednesday to the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), formally requested a pause on these markets until more complete safeguards are implemented. NCAA President Charlie Baker argued that the rapid growth of these platforms presents a unique set of risks.
“I implore you to suspend collegiate sport prediction markets until a more robust system with appropriate safeguards is in place,” Baker wrote, outlining a series of areas demanding immediate attention. These include establishing age restrictions, implementing stricter advertising restrictions, bolstering integrity monitoring, ensuring the involvement of governing bodies like the NCAA, limiting prop bets, providing harm reduction resources, and enacting anti-harassment measures.
The call for intervention comes as prediction markets – platforms where users trade on the outcome of events – gain traction across the country. While customary sportsbooks are limited to 39 states and the District of Columbia with a minimum betting age of 21, prediction markets are currently accessible in all 50 states to individuals 18 and older.
Integrity Concerns at the Forefront
Baker acknowledged that some prediction market companies, such as Kalshi, utilize services like IC360 to monitor for irregularities and collaborate with sports leagues, including the NCAA. However, he stressed the need for “heightened levels of review that don’t exist in many prediction markets,” specifically citing the ability to trace the geolocation of bettors.
A key concern raised by the NCAA is the lack of a requirement for prediction market operators to share integrity concerns with other operators – a standard practice for sportsbooks in most states. This lack of information sharing, Baker argued, creates vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
“So-called prediction markets are offering what anyone can see is unregulated betting on college games,” Baker stated during a speech Wednesday at the 2026 NCAA Convention. “We need federal regulators to stabilize this market.”
Kalshi’s Transfer Portal Markets Spark Controversy
Baker specifically referenced Kalshi’s recent move to self-certify markets on the college athlete transfer portal as a catalyst for the NCAA’s request. While Kalshi has stated it has no immediate plans to launch trading on the portal, the proclamation drew swift criticism from the NCAA, highlighting the potential for these markets to extend beyond traditional game outcomes.
The core difference between traditional sportsbooks and prediction markets,according to companies in the latter space,is that users are trading contracts with each other rather than betting against the house. Prediction markets generate revenue through transaction fees, functioning more like a brokerage than a bookmaker. This distinction is central to the ongoing legal battles between state gambling regulators and prediction market companies.
Divided League Response
The stance on prediction markets is not uniform across major sports leagues.The NFL has voiced its concerns to Congress regarding the industry’s expansion, while the NHL and UFC have both established partnerships with Kalshi and prediction market firm Polymarket.
The NCAA has indicated a willingness to collaborate with the CFTC to develop appropriate protections, mirroring those already in place for legal sportsbooks. The CFTC and the Coalition for Prediction Markets, representing many of the largest operators, have been contacted for comment.
The debate surrounding the oversight of prediction markets is expected to intensify as these platforms continue to evolve and gain popularity,raising basic questions about the future of sports wagering and the protection of collegiate athletes.
