The Takeaway: Kalshi Will Have Betting On NFL Games This Season
Prediction market platform now allows trading on Week 1. Gambling news roundup: Connecticut settles with High5Games; Washington DC eyes poker, blackjack.
Each Thursday in The Takeaway, The Closing Line provides commentary on trends and news in the gambling industry.
Kalshi will have single-game betting on the NFL this fall in 50 states, as the prediction market platform posted Week 1 games on Thursday:
The news is not shocking, given that Kalshi had already rolled out single-game betting — the equivalent of moneyline betting at sportsbooks — for the other major North American sports leagues (NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball).
In US sports betting, football — and the NFL in particular — is king. Football betting drives customer acquisition and revenue in the regulated sports betting sector more so than any other sport. It will drive a huge amount of trading volume at Kalshi once the season rolls around.
Kalshi offered trading on the winner of the Super Bowl and the winners of the NFC and AFC championships earlier this year.
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Some thoughts and notes on the NFL rollout from Kalshi:
The markets do not yet appear at Kalshi partner Robinhood, which has listed some single-game markets for other sports.
We’re clearly going to see college football betting at Kalshi too, right? Kalshi saw more trading volume on March Madness for college basketball than anything else it has done. I am not sure what would stop them from doing moneylines for college football games.
Do NFL markets come with a further expansion of what’s considered “sports event trading?” Moneylines are fine, but it’s far from the dominant way to bet on football. Points spreads, total points scored, and player props (and parlays on all of these things) are far more popular ways to gamble on the NFL. Will Kalshi be happy with moneylines this season, or will it do more?
Will the NFL and NCAA finally chime in on sports event contracts?
While the NBA and MLB have made their thoughts known in publicly shared letters to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the NFL has not. There had been reports of the NFL sounding alarms about prediction markets. But does this latest foray from Kalshi awaken the giant from its public silence?
The NCAA has mentioned prediction markets in passing but has not gotten materially involved, at least not publicly.
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Gambling news roundup
As gambling industry evolves, state lawmakers try to catch up (Times Union): “The state Senate passed a bill earlier this spring to establish the Problem Gambling Advisory Council, a body tasked with recommending “ways to make problem gambling prevention and treatment more accessible throughout the state.” But that legislation has stalled in the state Assembly, and a slate of other regulatory measures is unlikely to pass in the waning weeks of the legislative session, which is set to end June 12. ‘Technology is going to change more rapidly than the law can change,’ said Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, a Saratoga Democrat. ‘The designers of games are going to innovate to make the games more appealing — to increase stickiness, if you will. I think it is the challenge for policymakers to try to be tuned into where the industry is going.’”
Responsible Online Gaming Association Releases Guidelines for Operator VIP Programs (press release): “The Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), an independent association representing 90% of the legal U.S. sports betting industry by handle, published today its guidelines for operator VIP programs. These evidence-based recommended practices are intended to support members’ VIP policies to further incorporate robust responsible online gaming. These can help players maintain a balanced, enjoyable gaming experience within their own personal limits. ‘Like in many sectors of entertainment, leisure and hospitality, sportsbook’s VIP programs aim to reward and retain loyal players, and it is essential that these programs are operated with a strong commitment to responsible gaming. These programs should support a shared understanding between hosts and players on the value of responsible gaming that fosters long-term loyalty and player well-being,’ said ROGA Executive Director, Dr. Jennifer Shatley. ‘There is a robust conversation ongoing regarding VIP programs, which is why we have prioritized this issue, as it is essential to provide research-driven guidance to adequately support these programs to help keep VIP players’ experience fun and recreational.’”
DC Mayor Bowser wants to legalize poker and blackjack (SBC Americas): “In a bid to raise revenue for the District of Columbia, Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to legalize poker and blackjack across D.C. Bowser unveiled her $21.8 billion FY 2026 budget on May 27, with a focus on boosting business growth and expanding D.C.’s sports and entertainment economy to help steer the economy on the right path. Bowser’s proposal includes authorizing and taxing commercial bingo and live poker and blackjack tournaments.”
Department of Consumer Protection Announces Settlement with High5Games over Operation of Illegal Online Casino (press release): “The Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division announced today a settlement with Online Gaming Service Provider, High5Games, following an investigation into the licensee’s operation of an unlicensed online casino, High5Casino. High5Games is a licensed service provider that develops and provides online slot content for the legal gaming platforms in Connecticut. High5Games license was summarily suspended on March 14, 2025, for alleged violations of Connecticut’s gaming laws. High5Games has ceased operation of its online casino in Connecticut, and its Online Gaming Service Provider license has been reinstated, effective May 22. High5Games has agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million as part of the settlement. That includes more than $643,000 in restitution to consumers who lost money to High5Casino, and nearly $800,000 for use in consumer complaint resolution programs, consumer education, consumer protection enforcement and litigation.’This case is just one example of the hard work our Gaming Division does to ensure a fair, safe and legal gaming market in Connecticut,’ said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. ‘We are pleased the Connecticut consumers who were lured into placing wagers on an unlicensed platform will be made whole, and that this company has ceased operations of its unlicensed casino in Connecticut.’”
CA judge sends sweeps case involving Stake.us to arbitration (SBC Americas): “Another lawsuit against a sweepstakes operator is headed to arbitration after a recent court decision in California. U.S. Central California District Court Judge James Selna granted Sweepsteaks Limited’s motion to compel arbitration after Dennis Boyle, a California resident and former gambling addict, filed a suit against the company, claiming it was providing an illegal gambling website through Stake.us.”
All About That Database (InGame): “Databases. Yawn. Collated commerce. Not yawn. Companies hoard these troves of contact information and consumption history greedily, ready to wield them at already inclined buyers when the next concert ticket or viral pet toy is ready to roll out. Sportsbooks are no different.
DraftKings and FanDuel leveraged massive customer databases of daily fantasy sports players to form a national sports betting duopoly when legal wagering became each state’s decision in 2018. Fanatics, a global sports apparel giant, formed a gambling company in 2021 and launched a sportsbook in 2023. Within two years, it’s made huge gains nationally. Fanatics Betting & Gaming was recognized at SBC Summit Americas 2025 with the Rising Star award for operators. A database of more than 110 million global apparel customers undoubtedly helped, Chief Business Officer Ari Borod told InGame.”
Trusted Voices: Conversations About Betting is designed to equip adults, including parents and coaches, with tools and resources to talk to young people about gambling, including information on warning signs, risks and proxy betting. The program is led by retired professional basketball player Randy Livingston and his wife, basketball agent Anita Smith, who share their personal stories related to problem gambling, with the hope of preventing others from experiencing similar harms. Learn more and join the conversation here.
