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Shwetha Surendran
Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a multiyear partnership with Polymarket, joining the trend of sports leagues collaborating with prediction markets despite recent controversies and growing public unease about the intersection of gambling and sports. The NHL was the first major U.S. professional league to sign a deal with a prediction market last October.
Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi allow users to trade on the yes/no outcomes of various events, including sports. Representatives from these companies assert they do not provide gambling services but rather operate similarly to stock exchanges. Unlike sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings, Polymarket and Kalshi can legally operate in all 50 states, including California and Texas, where traditional sports betting remains illegal.
The regulation of prediction markets remains a contentious legal issue. Several state gaming regulators have sued Kalshi, claiming the company is breaching state laws by offering event contracts resembling sports bets. Kalshi maintains that it operates outside state jurisdiction and is overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal regulatory body.
This month, the Nevada Gaming Control Board filed a complaint in district court to halt Polymarket from offering specific event contracts related to sports, arguing they violate state wagering laws.
Chris Schlosser, MLS’s senior vice president of emerging ventures, informed ESPN that discussions about the partnership began in mid-2025. He emphasized that preserving the integrity of the sport is a primary concern.
“Polymarket and other similar platforms offer markets on MLS. We recognized that to maintain the integrity of our sport and competition, we needed to partner with them to uphold our core integrity principles—much like our approach in sports betting,” Schlosser explained.
He also noted that Polymarket’s nationwide availability and its potential to engage soccer fans in states like California and Texas, where sports betting is prohibited, were particularly appealing to the league.
Currently, Polymarket operates globally but is invitation-only in the U.S., requiring potential users to join a wait list.
Schlosser mentioned that MLS and Polymarket are exploring ways to engage fans during matches and seasons, such as providing real-time market activity that enables fans to trade on the expected outcomes, like which team will win or who might become the MLS champion.
The partnership will implement integrity safeguards, including independent monitoring of trading activity in both MLS and Leagues Cup markets by integrity monitors like IC360 and Sportradar. Individuals with potential insider information, such as league officials, club staff, players, referees, and owners, will be prohibited from trading.
Additionally, Schlosser stated that players are not allowed to use their name, image, and likeness for any prediction markets as well as in other gaming sectors such as sports betting.