NHL Becomes First Major Sports League to License Trademarks to Prediction Markets
The post NHL Becomes First Major Sports League to License Trademarks to Prediction Markets appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
In brief The NHL has signed multi-year licensing deals with prediction market startups Kalshi and Polymarket. Weekly prediction market volume surpassed $2 billion for the first time, with sports betting driving $414.7 million in volume last week. Major funding rounds have propelled valuations, with Kalshi recently raising $300 million and Polymarket securing $2 billion. The National Hockey League has inked multi-year licensing agreements with prediction market startups Kalshi and Polymarket, marking the first time a major U.S. professional sports league has authorized these platforms to use its trademarks. Prediction platforms will now compete with established sportsbook giants like DraftKings and FanDuel in the lucrative sports betting market. The Wall Street Journal first reported the deals ahead of the official announcement. “As prediction markets continue to evolve at a rapid pace, partnering with the two market leaders, Kalshi and Polymarket, provides a tremendous opportunity for the broadest fan engagement during the NHL season,” said NHL Business President Keith Wachtel, in a release. “Polymarket and Kalshi are ideal partners as this category continues to grow and expand.” We’re honored and proud to be named the Official Prediction Market Partner of the NHL. You can now trade with no fees, no house, & no limits. pic.twitter.com/XuFOboiklY — Polymarket (@Polymarket) October 22, 2025 The NHL’s endorsement lends credibility to platforms that have operated in a regulatory gray area while potentially paving the way for other major leagues to follow. “In the long term, partnerships between licensed prediction platforms and established sportsbooks are more likely than head-to-head competition, especially as the industry converges around transparency, liquidity efficiency, and on-chain data integrity,” Ivan Muller, CMO at crypto-based gaming and sports betting platform, Dexsport.io, told Decrypt. “Traditional sportsbooks focus on entertainment-driven, event-specific wagering with defined odds and consumer protections; meanwhile, prediction markets operate as decentralized forecasting tools…
Filed under: News - @ October 23, 2025 3:25 am