Major League Soccer Makes Polymarket ‘Exclusive’ Prediction Market Partner
Yet another North American major professional sports league has reached a marketing deal with a prediction market operator. This time, it’s Major League Soccer, which on Monday announced it inked a multi-year deal with Polymarket.
The deal makes Polymarket an official partner of the top-tier soccer league, and it becomes the “exclusive prediction market partner” of MLS, the league’s all-star game, and the league’s postseason tournament.
As soccer’s audience continues to grow and evolve in the U.S., fans are looking for new ways to engage more deeply with the game. Through our partnership with MLS and Leagues Cup, we can surface real-time collective sentiment around key moments, matches, and season-long storylines, giving fans a more interactive, data-driven way to experience the game and engage with the world’s most popular sport.”
Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket.
Additionally, the deal between Polymarket and MLS includes various safeguards to protect the integrity of the league’s matches. That includes third-party monitoring of trading activity and a collaborative approach toward approving the offerings on Polymarket.
The MLS-Polymarket deal comes more than three months after the NHL signed Polymarket and Kalshi, its main competitor in the prediction markets sector, to a similar agreement.
That partnership allows the prediction markets to access proprietary league data and use official logos on their sites. In addition, Kalshi and Polymarket also receive prime virtual advertising space during nationally televised games, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Prediction Markets Facing Legal Scrutiny
Both the MLS and NHL deals come as numerous states have filed lawsuits against Kalshi, which began offering contracts on sporting events a year ago.
States have sought to block Kalshi from offering its sports markets, arguing that prediction markets flout state gaming laws. Kalshi has defended itself, noting that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversees its actions and that the CFTC has not said it or other prediction market operators need to stop offering those contracts.
Last week, a Massachusetts judge issued an injunction against Kalshi but agreed to delay its effective date while the operator seeks a stay. In the wake of that ruling, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio have noted it in their arguments against Kalshi and Polymarket.
Biggest Benefit for Prediction Markets
Beyond advertising space and access to league marks, the biggest thing Polymarket and Kalshi get from league partnerships is credibility. These deals put the two biggest prediction market operators on par with licensed sports betting operators that have similar arrangements with MLS and the NHL.
Partnering with Polymarket allows us to integrate prediction markets as a new fan engagement format and position MLS as an early leader among global soccer properties.”
MLS Deputy Commissioner and President of Soccer United Marketing gary stevenson
Prediction markets have been the target of many in the gaming industry since those operators began offering contracts on sporting events. While several lawsuits have been filed, those cases are all in their early stages. In all likelihood, it will take years for there to be a resolution, with that coming either from the U.S. Supreme Court or potentially congressional or CFTC action.
That said, many in the gaming industry, including sports betting operators such as DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel, have decided to move forward with plans for their own platforms. In some cases, those operators are offering sports markets in states where they are not licensed to offer sports betting.
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