Published on: September 12, 2025, 12:53h.

Updated on: September 12, 2025, 12:53h.

• A significant majority of Americans advocate for the regulation of sports event contracts similarly to traditional sports betting
• Prediction markets unveil NFL offerings for the upcoming season
• Platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket are also providing spread and total categories

Recent discussions and media attention focus on prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, which are launching football event contracts as the NFL season kicks off. However, a survey from the American Gaming Association (AGA) indicates that most Americans desire tighter controls from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

85% Call for Regulation

Based on AGA findings, 85% of participants identify sports event contracts more closely with gambling, while only 6% view them as akin to financial instruments. A notable 80% of respondents support the idea of regulating sports event contracts just like other gambling forms, and 5% believe that state and tribal gaming regulators should monitor them, not the CFTC.

“The data clearly illustrates that Americans recognize sports bets when they encounter them – and they expect prediction markets dealing in sports event contracts to align with the same regulations and consumer protections as any other state-regulated sportsbook,” stated AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.

Exploring NFL Player Props on Prediction Markets

The AGA’s primary aim is to promote a framework in which legal and regulated gaming operators can flourish.

On prediction platforms like Kalshi, users engage in trading binary event contracts based on yes/no queries regarding NFL results, functioning similarly to shares on a stock market. A glance at the Kalshi platform today reveals offerings for all NFL games occurring this Sunday. For instance, the Bills are given a 73% chance to defeat the Jets, with the “yes” option priced at 0.74 cents, meaning a $100 wager yields $136 if the Bills win, and $371 if the Jets pull off a victory.

Kalshi also features spread and total categories, as well as player-related prop bets, including who may score a touchdown.

The CFTC’s main responsibility revolves around overseeing and regulating the U.S. derivatives markets, including futures, options, and swaps, ensuring fair trading conditions and financial integrity.

Understanding Football Parlays

Kalshi operates under CFTC regulation, while Polymarket has recently received CFTC approval to commence operations in the U.S.

Prediction markets have witnessed significant growth in popularity, fueled by venture capital investments reaching billion-dollar valuations.

“[The AGA research] highlights the urgent need for the CFTC to adhere to and enforce existing regulations against gaming contracts, alongside Congress exercising its oversight role to prevent prediction markets from being utilized as unapproved gaming operations,” Miller remarked.

Importance of State Involvement

Additional insights from the research reveal: 84% of Americans, along with 69% of sports bettors, assert that sports event contracts should only be accessible through state-licensed sportsbooks in their respective states, while 69% of Americans contend that each state must have a voice in determining if sports event contracts can operate within their jurisdiction.

Seventy percent of respondents believe that prediction platforms providing sports event contracts, such as those related to NFL football, are exploiting regulatory gaps to function as unlicensed sportsbooks.