Kalshi to Offer Expanded Markets for Upcoming Football Season

It appears Kalshi isn’t done blurring the lines between sports betting and commodity trading quite yet.

The sports prediction operator has self-certified new markets for spread, total, and prop bets. All three are expected to be live before the NFL and NCAA football seasons kick off, pending approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). They will be the first operator to offer these markets, giving them a massive advantage in a rapidly growing industry.

With the addition of these new markets, Kalshi’s platform further pushes the boundaries of US gambling laws. 

The operator is currently fighting several lawsuits from states looking to ban the platform, claiming the platform offers a dangerous and unregulated form of sports betting. However, US courts have ruled that the industry falls under the authority of the CFTC, eliminating the state’s ability to ban the controversial platforms.

The new markets are expected to lead to a spike in revenue, but could also make it more difficult to convince US courts that they don’t qualify as gambling, given that all three markets are derived from sports betting.

Will CFTC Sign Off on New Markets?

The CFTC has taken a friendly stance on sports prediction markets since President Trump took office, but that doesn’t mean it will approve Kalshi’s new markets.

Calls have been growing for the regulator to investigate its past relationship with Kalshi. Current CFTC nominee and former chair Brian Quintenz is being accused of abusing his power to help the operator, whose board he still sits on. Rivals believe he used his access to sensitive financial data to help give the company an edge, and that he will do so again if his nomination is approved.

With these accusations coming from powerful people with connections to the White House, the CFTC could be looking to distance itself from Kalshi.