Breaking: Major League Baseball (MLB) is entering the New World of iGaming after striking a multi-year exclusive deal with Polymarket and signing an integrity-focused agreement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The dual deal signals the MLB’s intent to work with the prediction market industry to capitalise on the sector’s growth and have operational input.
Polymarket Goes Major League
Starting with Polymarket. This is a multi-year exclusive deal that names Polymarket as the MLB’s Official Prediction Market Exchange.Â
Polymarket already has similar deals in place with the NHL, MLS and UFC.
Under the MLB agreement, Polymarket is now the exclusive prediction market partner of the MLB and the only platform allowed to use team logos and marks.Â
It also gains access to official league data via Sportradar, the MLB’s global distributor for prediction market data, alongside prominent exposure across MLB digital platforms and major events.
While the official financial details remain under wraps, industry sources suggest the deal will run for three years and is worth some US$300 million (£223.8m).Â
“Polymarket is about bringing fans closer to the moments that define sport,†said Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of Polymarket.Â
“By working collaboratively with Major League Baseball and regulators, we can create new ways for fans to engage with the game while protecting the integrity of the sport.â€
And after a hectic week, including a total ban in Argentina, this is just the kind of home run Polymarket–recently valued at US$20 billion (£14.9bn)–needed to hit.
But for the MLB, this deal isn’t just about growth – it’s about having operational input. And integrity concerns are front and centre.
According to MLB: “A key component of the partnership will be establishing a comprehensive integrity framework, which includes working together to restrict markets that present an integrity risk to MLB, such as individual pitches, manager decisions and umpire performance, among others.â€
The rules agreed between MLB and Polymarket will also extend to the platform’s B2B partners.
CFTC Link-Up
Alongside the Polymarket partnership, MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. also signed a memorandum of understanding with CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig. The agreement is designed to protect the integrity of baseball through information sharing and faster responses to emerging risks.
Manfred met Selig in Miami to formalise the details. Alongside information sharing, the two sides will now meet regularly to discuss potential threats, particularly those posed by specific betting and prediction markets.
“We’re making sure that we have the right guardrails and integrity standards in place, and that’s why we’re partnering with MLB – because we’ve got to get this rightâ€, Selig said.
Proactive Management
Manfred described the dual link-ups as a necessary step in keeping pace with a rapidly evolving sector.
“These agreements with Polymarket and the CFTC are critical to proactively managing the fast-growing prediction market spaceâ€, he said. “Protecting the integrity of the game on the field remains our top priority.
“By engaging in this community, we are able to work together to create clear boundaries with the goal of mitigating risk while providing fan engagement opportunities.â€
The league also confirmed it is open to working with other prediction market operators on issues of sports integrity.
Skepticism
However, the President and CEO of U.S. gambling operator trade body, the American Gaming Association, Bill Miller, has expressed skepticism: “A multi-hundred million-dollar partnership or a memorandum of understanding with the CFTC doesn’t make an unlawful business model legitimate.â€
“State laws and voter-approved frameworks govern sports betting in the U.S. – not federal workaroundsâ€
