MLB Inks Polymarket Deal and CFTC Integrity Agreement

(AsiaGameHub) –   Major League Baseball has designated Polymarket as its official prediction market exchange partner and has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Commissioner Rob Manfred revealed the dual agreements on Thursday, just days ahead of the 2026 season’s commencement.

These agreements position MLB at the forefront of an expanding intersection of sports, trading, and regulation. As part of the new framework, MLB and the CFTC will share confidential information to bolster integrity safeguards for contracts based on baseball events.

Good to Know

• MLB stated Polymarket will be granted exclusive marketing rights, plus access to league trademarks, logos, and official data.
• MLB and Polymarket have agreed to prohibit markets considered more susceptible to manipulation, such as those on individual pitches, in-game managerial choices, and umpire performance.
• The pact with the CFTC provides MLB with a direct voice in integrity conversations concerning prediction markets related to baseball.

MLB Establishes Guidelines Amid Prediction Market Expansion

Polymarket now stands as the most prominent prediction market partner for any major U.S. sports league to date. Manfred had recently informed team owners that a deal with the platform was probable, and it has been finalized just before Opening Day.

“The new agreements we’ve established with Polymarket and the CFTC are essential moves to proactively oversee the emerging and fast-evolving prediction market arena,” Commissioner Manfred stated in the MLB announcement. “Safeguarding the integrity of the on-field competition is our foremost concern. By participating in this space, we can collaborate to set clear limits aimed at reducing risk while offering new avenues for fan interaction.”

A central element of the announcement is the memorandum with the CFTC. This structure provides MLB with a formal line of communication to the federal agency overseeing trading exchanges. MLB and the agency will confidentially exchange information to uphold the integrity of baseball as sports-based event contracts become more widespread.

“This MOU represents a cooperative effort to advance the integrity and robustness of prediction markets connected to professional baseball,” said CFTC chairman Michael S. Selig. “This agreement enables the CFTC to better equip itself with additional resources to shield these markets and their users from fraud, manipulation, and other misconduct. I appreciate MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred for collaborating with the CFTC and assuming a leadership position in preserving the integrity of these expanding markets.”

The CFTC agreement also creates an opportunity for MLB and the agency to collaborate with other prediction market platforms. This set of companies includes Kalshi, DraftKings Predictions, and FanDuel Predict, with the objective of incorporating baseball integrity standards into the rulebooks of the entire sector.

Polymarket also secures significant benefits from the alliance. The firm started in 2020 but exited the United States in 2022 following regulatory challenges. After prediction markets gained popularity, Polymarket acquired a derivatives exchange and re-entered the U.S. market in December 2025. The platform now obtains exclusive MLB marketing rights, alongside brand visibility and the use of MLB trademarks and logos. It will also gain the ability to utilize official league data.

Under the terms of the deal, Polymarket has committed to cooperating with MLB to curtail specific market types that pose greater risks to integrity. These encompass contracts linked to single pitches, decisions made by managers, and the performance of umpires.

“Polymarket is focused on connecting fans more deeply to the pivotal moments in sports,” said Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of Polymarket. “Through cooperative work with Major League Baseball and regulators, we can develop innovative methods for fans to interact with the game while ensuring the sport’s integrity is maintained.”