NCAA urges CFTC to halt college sports prediction markets
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has formally urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to suspend college sports prediction markets, warning that their rapid growth poses serious risks to student-athletes, consumers, and the integrity of college sport.
In a letter dated 14 January 2026 and addressed to CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig, NCAA President Charlie Baker called for an immediate halt to trading on college sports prediction markets until stronger safeguards are put in place. Baker said the NCAA was willing to work with the federal regulator to develop a future framework, but stressed that the current system is inadequate.
“Protecting the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of competition are of the highest priority to the NCAA,” Baker wrote, adding that the “haphazard nature” of collegiate prediction markets represents a significant threat to both.
NCAA likens prediction markets to sports betting
The letter argues that, in practice, prediction markets function in much the same way as traditional sports wagering. Baker noted that operators are offering moneyline, totals, and spread-style markets on college games that closely mirror products already available through licensed sportsbooks.
Baker said college sports prediction markets lack many of the safeguards now standard in regulated sports wagering. Among the NCAA’s key concerns are age restrictions, as prediction markets often allow participation from users aged 18 and over, compared with the 21+ limits imposed by most states for sports betting. Baker warned that this could entice college and even high school students into harmful activity.
He also raised concerns about advertising, noting that while sportsbooks face restrictions on marketing on college campuses, similar limits do not consistently apply to prediction markets. This is particularly troubling, the NCAA argues, because some students may mistakenly view prediction market trading as a form of financial investing rather than wagering.
The letter also points to gaps in integrity monitoring, including the apparent absence of bettor geolocation data and formal requirements for operators to share suspicious activity reports through licensed intermediaries.
Another major issue is the lack of formal involvement by national governing bodies such as the NCAA. In sports wagering, operators are required to work with leagues on market approval, integrity reporting, and investigations. Baker said no comparable obligations currently exist for prediction market operators.
Transfer portal controversy adds urgency
The NCAA’s intervention follows a recent controversy involving prediction market operator Kalshi, which withdrew plans to allow trading on whether individual NCAA athletes would enter or exit the college transfer portal after swift backlash.
Kalshi had filed with the CFTC to self-certify event contracts tied to transfer portal decisions, prompting Baker to publicly condemn the proposal as “absolutely unacceptable”. He warned that markets focused on individual athletes’ career decisions would expose players to increased harassment and undermine trust in college sports.
The @NCAA vehemently opposes college sports prediction markets. It is already bad enough that student-athletes face harassment and abuse for lost bets on game performance, and now Kalshi wants to offer bets on their transfer decisions and status — this is absolutely unacceptable…
— Charlie Baker (@CharlieBakerMA) December 18, 2025
Within hours of the criticism, Kalshi said it would not move forward with the contracts, stating that it regularly self-certifies markets that are never ultimately listed.
The transfer portal controversy follows earlier tensions between Kalshi and the NCAA. In November, the NCAA asked Kalshi to stop implying any relationship between the two organisations.
Prop markets, harassment and harm reduction
Baker also reiterated his long-standing opposition to college prop betting markets, which many US states have already restricted due to their impact on student-athlete welfare. While it remains unclear whether such products currently exist in college prediction markets, the NCAA warned that it is only a matter of time before operators seek approval.
The letter further highlights rising levels of harassment directed at student-athletes, often linked to betting outcomes. Baker called for robust anti-harassment measures, including the ability to ban abusive participants across platforms.
Finally, the NCAA urged the CFTC to consider harm-reduction funding, noting that many states allocate a portion of sports betting revenue to education, screening, and treatment programmes on college campuses.
Call for suspension and collaboration
In closing, Baker asked the CFTC to suspend trading on collegiate sports prediction markets while committing the NCAA’s support to help design a future marketplace with appropriate protections.
The appeal underscores a growing regulatory tension as prediction markets expand into sports, placing federal oversight under increasing scrutiny and raising fundamental questions about where financial trading ends and sports wagering begins.
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