The NFL told its star running back he could no longer hold a stake in a prediction‑market startup.
Key points
- The NFL bans players from holding equity or endorsing prediction‑market platforms, forcing Saquon Barkley to divest his Polymarket stake.
- Other major leagues such as the NBA, MLB, MLS and NHL have entered into partnerships with prediction‑market firms and allow limited player investment.
- The league’s policy reflects a broader caution toward gambling‑related activities, even as it maintains partnerships with traditional sports‑betting operators.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley told Front Office Sports that he was required to sell his equity in Polymarket after the league reminded players that they are prohibited from investing in or endorsing gambling or prediction‑market companies under NFL rules.
According to the source, the NFL briefs players each season on what endorsements, investments and training activities are permissible, and the current policy includes a blanket ban on any business relationship with prediction‑market platforms, whether through endorsement deals or equity holdings.
League’s stance on prediction‑market investments
The league confirmed the prohibition on investments and promotion of sportsbooks and prediction markets but declined to comment on Barkley’s specific situation, while a source familiar with the policy earlier this year said the ban extends to prediction‑market firms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
By contrast, other major U.S. leagues have embraced prediction‑market partnerships. The NBA announced Kalshi and Polymarket as “preferred prediction‑market partners,” and players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James have invested in those platforms, though the NBA restricts promotion of NBA‑related event contracts. MLB, MLS and the NHL have also signed multi‑year deals with Polymarket, with MLB’s agreement reportedly worth up to $300 million over four years.
How other major leagues handle prediction‑market partnerships
The NFL’s approach differs despite its existing sports‑betting partnerships with DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics. The league has historically limited player involvement in gambling, a stance it reiterated while urging the Supreme Court to keep prediction‑market regulation at the state level rather than federal.
Barkley reiterated his compliance, saying, “I am not in that right now. I’m not allowed to be in that,” and noted that he had to exit the Polymarket investment even though he had been involved before the policy clarification.
Reader questions
Why was Saquon Barkley required to sell his Polymarket shares?
Front Office Sports reports that the NFL’s player‑investment policy prohibits any financial interest in prediction‑market companies, and the league reminded players of that rule, prompting Barkley to divest.
How does the NFL’s policy on prediction markets differ from other leagues?
Unlike the NBA, MLB, MLS and the NHL, which have signed multi‑year deals with prediction‑market platforms and permit limited player investments, the NFL maintains a blanket ban on player involvement in such companies.
Source: frontofficesports.com
