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The NCAA is calling on federal regulators to pause all college sports prediction markets, arguing current rules fall short as betting related integrity issues continue to surface across college athletics.
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NCAA president Charlie Baker told the Commodities Futures Trading Commission on Wednesday that college sports prediction markets should be blocked until clear federal standards are in place. Baker said continuing under existing conditions creates risk for student athletes and college competitions.
“The answer cannot be the status quo,” Baker said in comments submitted to the CFTC.
The request landed the same day federal prosecutors revealed a sweeping college basketball point shaving case. That indictment named at least 20 people and alleged 39 players from 17 schools worked with five fixers to manipulate games for betting purposes.
Baker has made betting related integrity a central focus during his time leading the NCAA. His latest letter connects the rise of prediction markets to growing concerns around athlete pressure, betting influence, and uneven oversight.
Platforms such as Kalshi, Robinhood, and crypto.com now offer event contracts tied to sports outcomes. Baker warned those markets operate in ways that closely resemble sports wagering, even if they sit outside traditional gambling laws.
“Just as we need Congress to stabilize eligibility, we need federal regulators to stabilize these markets,” Baker wrote. “We need one set of fair, transparent standards.”
The NCAA letter asked the CFTC to establish a formal regulatory framework for college sports related prediction markets. Baker also said the NCAA remains open to working with federal officials to shape rules that protect student athletes.
Until those rules exist, Baker urged regulators to block all college sports related markets.
Several state regulators have already raised alarms. Gaming officials in Tennessee and other states have accused prediction platforms of functioning as illegal sportsbooks. Baker did not echo that claim directly, but he outlined how prediction contracts mirror traditional wagering.
“Sports wagering is broadly defined as individuals wagering money on the outcome of sporting events or any portion thereof,” Baker wrote. “Under that definition, sport prediction markets act like sports wagering.”
Baker also outlined safeguards he believes prediction platforms currently lack when compared with regulated sportsbooks.
Age limits ranked high on the list. Most states restrict sports betting to users 21 and older, while prediction platforms allow users starting at 18.
Advertising rules also differ. Sportsbooks face restrictions around marketing near college campuses, while prediction platforms do not.
Integrity monitoring raised further concerns. Baker said sportsbooks rely on advanced review systems designed to detect irregular betting patterns, protections he said remain limited or absent across many prediction markets.
He also pointed to the lack of required coordination with governing bodies. Sportsbooks must work with leagues and regulators before offering certain markets, while prediction platforms do not need approval from the NCAA.
Player specific markets created another issue. Baker has consistently opposed college player prop betting, which remains illegal in many states but can appear on prediction platforms.
Anti harassment policies and harm reduction programs rounded out the list. Sportsbooks can ban users who harass student athletes and often fund problem gambling resources through state programs. Baker said prediction platforms should meet similar standards.