The Kalshi, Polymarket and Novig TV ads that have aired across high-profile MLB postseason games in recent weeks will not find their way onto NBC’s season-opening NBA telecasts on Tuesday, a source told SBJ, indicating that the league will enter the season with the door still closed to deals with prediction market operators.
Both MLB and the NHL have opened the category, treating operators similar to online sports betting companies. The NHL signed sponsor deals with both Kalshi and Polymarket at the start of last season. MLB signed Polymarket earlier this year and created an authorized operator designation for other operators that agreed to use official data and allow league input on markets that might be susceptible to manipulation.
The NFL has not opened to prediction advertising and recently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to ban sports event contracts not regulated by states.
Last week, the NBA said dialogue with prediction operators continued.