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(AsiaGameHub) –   The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the United States’ financial regulatory body, has finalized a prediction markets-focused Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the National Hockey League (NHL).

This partnership arrives as professional sports leagues across the US seek to prevent insider trading activity on prediction markets. The announcement also comes just days after the CFTC signed an identical agreement with Major League Baseball.

The CFTC noted that the agreement with the NHL will “protect the integrity of professional hockey and maintain fair and transparent prediction markets.”

In a post on X, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig stated that the MOU will strengthen data sharing between professional sports leagues and his agency.

“Together, we’re taking another step toward safeguarding the integrity of sports and protecting market participants in prediction markets from abuses,” he wrote.

NHL: Prediction Markets Initiatives

Trading of NHL-related contracts is surging on platforms including Polymarket. As of this report’s publication, total trading volume for contracts predicting the outright winner of the 2026 Stanley Cup is nearing the $80 million mark.

Trading volumes for contracts tied to the May 22 NHL Conference Finals matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights have surpassed $140,000 on the same platform.

Last October, the NHL signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Polymarket and fellow prediction market operator Kalshi.

This historic agreement was the first of its kind, marking the first instance a top US professional sports league had agreed to partner with prediction market operators.

The deal granted Kalshi and Polymarket permission to use NHL logos on their platforms. In exchange, the two operators committed to rolling out customer protection measures for professional hockey-related contracts.

As a result, the two platforms now state they will not accept trading activity from “current and former [NFL] players, coaches, and staff.”

Controversy Mounts

US professional sports leagues appear largely comfortable with outright contracts tied to the final outcomes of upcoming games. But controversy has emerged around events that can be easily manipulated by a single individual.

Contracts linked to specific words or phrases used by NHL commentators during televised game broadcasts remain popular on these platforms.

National Football League officials have called on the CFTC to crack down on trading for contracts tied to these types of easily manipulated events.

Senior gaming industry officials have also raised doubts about the CFTC’s oversight of prediction market operators.

Among these critics is American Gaming Association CEO Bill Miller. Miller testified before the Senate this week that the CFTC should focus its work on financial markets, and not “Monday Night Football.”

New Jersey is seeking to bring its ongoing legal battle against Kalshi to the Supreme Court. Legal experts say the Garden State has a strong chance of winning, noting that the “overwhelmingly conservative” views of the court’s justices could work in New Jersey’s favor.

But the regulator is standing firm on its position. The CFTC continues to fight legal disputes against states that have attempted to ban Kalshi and Polymarket.

Meanwhile, Selig stated the new NHL deal will “solidify the intent to share information and coordinate to protect the integrity of both professional hockey and related event contracts offered on CFTC-regulated exchanges.”

The CFTC and NHL have confirmed they have appointed dedicated representatives for the partnership. These individuals will reportedly “communicate regularly to discuss issues related to integrity, share information confidentially, and ensure open lines of communication.”

The NHL says it will deploy “layered protections” to monitor hockey-related prediction markets, adding that it will “work directly with its partners to ensure integrity.”