NHL Agrees to Licensing Deals with Kalshi, Polymarket

• NHL has agreed to a licensing deal with both Kalshi and Polymarket
• It is the first professional sports licensing deal for the companies
• Kalshi and Polymarket are now official prediction market partners of the NHL

Kalshi and Polymarket have taken their first steps into professional sports branding.

The prediction market companies have agreed to licensing deals with the NHL, naming both Kalshi and Polymarket as official prediction market partners of the league. The partnership is a U.S. only deal for the two largest prediction market companies in the world.

The multi-year agreements will allow the companies to access official NHL proprietary data and rights to use NHL markets, logos, and official designations on their platforms and products.

Landmark Multiyear Partnership Deal

The deal between the NHL and Kalshi, Polymarket, is the first partnership deal between a major U.S. professional sports association and a prediction market company.

“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,” said Keith Wachtel, President, NHL Business. “Polymarket and Kalshi are ideal partners as this category continues to grow and expand.”

As part of the deal, Kalshi and Polymarket’s brokers and merchants will be able to use NHL marks and logos to identify the company products they make available.

Both companies will also receive brand exposure via Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards (DED) and blue line slot virtual signage on NHL game broadcasts including regular season national games, Stanley Cup Playoff games, NHL Winter Classic, and NHL Stadium series national broadcasts.

“Teaming up with the NHL is an important milestone for Kalshi and the industry at large. To have a league like the NHL embrace Kalshi is a testament to the integrity, safety, and trust with consumers that Kalshi has spent years building during our time pioneering this asset class,” said Tarek Mansour, CEO of Kalshi. “It should be clear now – prediction markets are here to stay.”

Kalshi currently offers sports event contracts on all major sports events in the U.S. Polymarket recently self-certified sports and election prediction market contracts with the Commodity Futures Tradition Commission (CFTC) ahead of its U.S. relaunch.

While it has yet to announce a launch date, Polymarket will be offering election event contracts and sports contracts related to game outcomes, game spreads, and total scores.

“The NHL has always been about giving fans an incredible experience. We’re excited to bring that energy to Polymarket, where fans can engage with the NHL and its teams in a new way,” said Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket. “Together, we’re making the game more interactive and connected, and we appreciate the support of the NHL in recognizing the future of fan experiences benefits from engagement with prediction markets.”

Legal Fights Over Sports Event Contracts Still Ongoing

As both companies enter into their new partnership with the NHL, legal battles are still ongoing throughout the country regarding sports event contracts.

Prediction market companies believe that state regulatory bodies do not have the right to intrude on the government’s “exclusive” authority to regulate prediction market, filing lawsuits in New Jersey, Nevada, and Maryland to defend its practices. These companies believe the CFTC is the only regulatory body that can legally block contracts from being offered to customers.

State regulators equate sports event contracts as sports betting and believe they should have a say in how they’re regulated, taxed, and licensed.

The prediction market companies believe their offerings are not required to comply with state laws, as they have been preempted by the Commodity Exchange Act.