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NCAA urges CFTC to pause college sports prediction markets
The group says contracts mirror sports betting but lack safeguards, warning transfer portal markets could pose “catastrophic” risks to student athletes.
Jan 15, 2026, 6:26 a.m.
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What to know:
- The NCAA has requested the CFTC to suspend college sports-related prediction markets, arguing they mimic sports betting without necessary protections.
- Concerns include risks to student athletes and consumers, with markets potentially allowing participation from users as young as 18.
- The NCAA warns that prediction markets could incentivize coercion and harassment, especially with contracts tied to individual athletes.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has asked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to suspend college sports-related prediction markets, arguing they replicate sports betting without the protections required of licensed sportsbooks.
In a letter sent to the CFTC, the NCAA said it is “requesting that the Commission suspend collegiate sport prediction markets” until “a more robust system with appropriate safeguards is in place,” citing risks to student athletes, consumers, and competition integrity.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
College sports related contracts have approximately $320 million in volume on decentralized betting platform Polymarket, according to data aggregator Polymarket Analytics.
The NCAA argued that prediction markets offering contracts on game outcomes, spreads, and totals are functionally indistinguishable from sports wagering, even though they operate under federal commodities law rather than state gaming regimes. That distinction, the group said, has allowed operators to bypass age limits, advertising restrictions and integrity monitoring standards commonly imposed on sportsbooks.
The letter highlighted concerns that many prediction markets allow participation from users as young as 18, potentially drawing in college students and athletes themselves. It also warned that marketing these products as financial trading could mislead users, particularly given the randomness of sporting outcomes.
A central focus of the NCAA’s concerns was the possibility of markets tied to individual athletes, including transfer portal activity. The organization said contracts linked to player decisions could create incentives for coercion and harassment, calling the risks “catastrophic” for student athletes and the broader college sports ecosystem.
The NCAA also called for tighter integrity controls, including bettor geolocation, information sharing among operators, limits on prop style markets and formal involvement by national governing bodies in market design and oversight.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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