MLB and CFTC strike integrity pact as league taps Polymarket for prediction markets

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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and CFTC chairman Mike Selig shake hands at Major League Baseball partnership announcement event with MLB logos backdrop

Main League Baseball (MLB) has teamed up with the US Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee (CFTC) in a brand new effort to maintain a detailed watch on the booming world of sports activities prediction markets, in accordance with a release from the federal company.

The association is a proper memorandum of understanding that units up how the league and the CFTC will work collectively. The 2 sides plan to observe buying and selling exercise, trade data, and search for any indicators of manipulation tied to baseball-related occasion contracts. The CFTC says the objective is to “defend the integrity and resilience of prediction markets” whereas guarding in opposition to “fraud, manipulation, and different abuses.”

At this time the @CFTC and @MLB made historical past by signing the first-ever MOU between a sports activities league and federal company.

We’ve dedicated to work collectively to guard the integrity and resilience of prediction markets referring to skilled baseball.

By this partnership, the… pic.twitter.com/SNfym65t0N

— Mike Selig (@ChairmanSelig) March 19, 2026

Commissioner Rob Manfred described the settlement as a needed step as these markets develop in recognition. “The brand new agreements that we shaped…are crucial steps,” he mentioned, including that “defending the integrity of the sport on the sphere is our prime precedence.”

CFTC Chairman Michael Selig echoed that sentiment, saying the partnership would “defend the integrity and resilience of prediction markets” and assist guard in opposition to “fraud, manipulation, and different abuses.”

Polymarket deal provides industrial layer to CFTC and MLB partnership

Alongside the regulatory piece, MLB has additionally struck a industrial cope with Polymarket, naming it the league’s unique prediction market trade accomplice. That association offers the platform entry to official league information together with branding rights.

Polymarket publicly welcomed the partnership, saying it was “honored” to be chosen by MLB. Early promotional materials factors to a rollout tied to the 2026 season, together with imagery that includes a base stamped with a “2026 Opening Day” brand. That timing suggests prediction markets shall be a part of the league’s broader Opening Day push and fan engagement plans.

The settlement is reportedly value as a lot as $300 million over a number of years and contains promotion throughout MLB’s media platforms.

“Polymarket is about bringing followers nearer to the moments that outline sports activities,” mentioned Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of Polymarket in a press release. “By working collaboratively with Main League Baseball and regulators, we will create new methods for followers to have interaction with the sport whereas defending the integrity of the game.”

A key a part of the MLB-CFTC framework is deciding what sorts of markets are allowed. League officers say sure higher-risk choices, like bets on particular person pitches or umpire selections, shall be restricted or blocked altogether. The concept is to decrease the probabilities of insider affect whereas nonetheless permitting broader outcome-based markets.

This comes because the CFTC will increase its deal with prediction markets, which it considers a type of derivatives buying and selling. Current steering that we’ve beforehand highlighted signifies the agency is working toward clearer rules for sports-related event contracts, together with necessities round monitoring and anti-manipulation safeguards.

This has sparked friction with state regulators and the standard gaming business, which argue these merchandise look so much like sports activities betting and may fall underneath state playing legal guidelines. The American Gaming Affiliation pushed again, saying that “state legal guidelines…govern sports activities betting within the US—not federal workarounds.”

The timing additionally follows heightened scrutiny round playing dangers in baseball. Investigations into alleged betting activity involving gamers have raised contemporary issues about insider data and sport integrity.

Featured picture: Mike Selig by way of X

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