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he National Hockey League is stepping into new territory by signing a multi-year U.S. marketing partnership with Kalshi and Polymarket, two of the biggest names in prediction trading. The deal officially makes both exchanges the NHL’s prediction market partners, expanding the league’s fan engagement strategy beyond traditional sports betting and fantasy platforms.
Good to Know
Kalshi and Polymarket will be featured in arenas and broadcasts during NHL games.
Kalshi already operates under federal oversight and offers sports contracts across all 50 states.
Polymarket’s return to the U.S. could be on the horizon following this partnership.
The agreement marks the first time a major North American sports league has teamed up with prediction trading platforms. It also signals a changing view within professional sports about the role of fan engagement tools that go beyond sportsbooks.
Keith Wachtel, NHL President of Business, said:
“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. Polymarket and Kalshi are ideal partners as this category continues to grow and expand.”
Hockey fans can expect to see Kalshi and Polymarket brands featured on digital dashboards, blue line slots, and broadcast signage during regular season and Stanley Cup Playoff games. The agreement also covers major events such as the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series, ensuring broad exposure across the NHL calendar.
The deal includes rights for both companies to use official NHL marks and logos in marketing efforts. It is a major push toward connecting prediction market engagement with the live sports experience, blending traditional viewing with interactive participation.
For Polymarket, this could be the start of a new chapter in the U.S. after regulatory hurdles forced its partial withdrawal years ago. Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket, said:
“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. 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.”
Kalshi, meanwhile, has become a powerhouse in the contract trading space since expanding from political markets to sports events. Following its 2024 collaboration with Robinhood, Kalshi now offers a range of sports contracts that resemble futures and prop bets found in sportsbooks.
Tarek Mansour, CEO of Kalshi, said:
“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. It should be clear now – prediction markets are here to stay.”
Kalshi’s federally regulated platform currently operates across all 50 states, offering event-based contracts on leagues like the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. However, ongoing legal battles are testing how prediction markets coexist with state-licensed sportsbooks. Several states — including Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, and Massachusetts — have raised questions about whether Kalshi’s contracts cross into sports betting territory.
Adding to the complexity, the NHL already maintains partnerships with established sportsbooks such as FanDuel, DraftKings, ESPN BET, and BetMGM. That overlap has created industry-wide discussions about how different types of wagering platforms can coexist while maintaining compliance under distinct legal frameworks.
Despite those tensions, the NHL’s collaboration with Kalshi and Polymarket suggests a growing openness toward alternative ways for fans to interact with live sports. As prediction markets gain mainstream attention, they could soon become as common as fantasy leagues or same-game parlays.
A prediction market lets users trade on outcomes of real-world events, such as game results or election outcomes. The price reflects the probability of that outcome happening.
Kalshi operates under federal approval through the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Polymarket, however, is still in discussions with regulators about its U.S. reentry.
Not directly. Prediction markets and sportsbooks operate under different regulations, but their overlap may prompt new guidelines in the future.