MLB Establishes Exclusive Partnership with Polymarket

Odaily News: Major League Baseball (MLB) has entered into new agreements with Polymarket and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), respectively. MLB has established an exclusive partnership with Polymarket, granting the latter the right to use its trademarks and logos. Polymarket will receive promotional placements on the MLB official website and at live games. Simultaneously, MLB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CFTC, covering information sharing and the protection of game integrity.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that the new agreements with Polymarket and the CFTC are key initiatives to proactively manage the rapidly growing prediction market sector. MLB will collaborate with Polymarket to restrict trades involving risks to game integrity, such as contracts related to individual pitches, coaching decisions, and referee performance.

Currently, the CFTC is seeking to solidify its position as the sole regulator of prediction markets, while state officials argue that prediction markets constitute gambling operations. This week, the Arizona Attorney General filed criminal charges against Kalshi, accusing it of operating an illegal gambling platform. Both Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour and CFTC Chairman Michael Selig have stated that these charges represent an overreach by state authorities.