NCAA Demands CFTC Halt $320M College Sports Betting Markets—Citing Student Safety

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has requested the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission to instantly droop school sports activities prediction markets, warning that the fast-growing sector is exposing student-athletes to heightened dangers and undermining the integrity of faculty competitors.

The request targets an estimated $320 million in lively school sports activities markets, a determine that displays how shortly prediction platforms have expanded into territory lengthy dominated by regulated sportsbooks.

As Prediction Markets Grow, NCAA Pushes for Safeguards

In a letter dated January 14, 2026, NCAA President Charlie Baker urged CFTC Chairman Michael Selig to halt collegiate sports activities prediction buying and selling till stronger safeguards are put in place.

Baker argued that though prediction markets are sometimes framed as monetary merchandise, many now perform in follow like sports activities wagering.

NCAA famous that platforms are providing moneyline, unfold, and whole markets on school video games that intently mirror conventional betting, whereas working underneath a lighter regulatory framework.

The timing of the letter comes as prediction markets expertise explosive development. Total each day buying and selling quantity throughout main platforms reached a file $701.7 million on January 12, with sports activities accounting for a rising share of exercise.

Platforms equivalent to Kalshi and Polymarket together processed tens of billions of dollars in trades throughout 2025, and sports activities markets now characterize roughly three-quarters of Kalshi’s weekly quantity and practically 40% of Polymarket’s.

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That scale has drawn institutional curiosity, nevertheless it has additionally raised alarms amongst regulators and sports activities our bodies.

At the middle of the NCAA’s concern is scholar security. Baker warned that school prediction markets typically permit members as younger as 18, in contrast with the 21-and-over requirement in most states for sports activities betting.

NCAA surveys present that 58 p.c of people aged 18 to 22 have participated in sports activities betting, with a good portion reporting tutorial, monetary, and psychological well being penalties.

The letter additionally highlighted gaps in promoting guidelines. While sportsbooks face restrictions on advertising and marketing to varsity campuses, related limits don’t persistently apply to prediction markets.

The NCAA stated some college students could mistakenly view prediction buying and selling as a type of investing reasonably than playing, regardless of the inherent unpredictability of sports activities outcomes.

NCAA Cites Harassment and Integrity Gaps in College Prediction Platforms

That framing, Baker argued, will increase the danger of extreme participation and monetary hurt.

Integrity monitoring was one other key subject, because the NCAA displays greater than 23,000 contests yearly for suspicious exercise and depends on detailed information, together with bettor geolocation, to research irregularities.

Baker stated many prediction platforms lack this stage of oversight and will not be required to share integrity alerts with different operators or governing our bodies.

He pointed to current efforts by prediction platforms to hunt approval for markets tied to the faculty switch portal for example of exercise that might create extreme dangers for athletes if left unchecked.

The NCAA additionally raised issues about harassment, as Baker stated student-athletes incessantly report abuse from bettors, together with on-line harassment tied to recreation outcomes.

He argued that prediction markets needs to be required to implement anti-harassment measures throughout platforms, together with banning members who goal athletes.

Harm discount assets have been additionally cited as lacking, with the NCAA noting that many states direct sportsbook income towards playing training and remedy packages on campuses, a mechanism that prediction markets don’t persistently present.

The request locations the CFTC in a troublesome place, as prediction markets fall underneath federal commodities regulation reasonably than state playing statutes, and the company has beforehand permitted sure sports-related contracts.

However, the speedy development of college-focused markets and the entry of main sports activities betting and fantasy operators into the area have intensified scrutiny.

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