Photo by J. Crocker, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons
Lawmakers in Mississippi and Wisconsin are back in session and already discussing expanding their sports betting markets to include mobile sportsbooks. While changing conditions are giving proponents hope that the efforts will succeed, larger hurdles still remain for both states.
Raiders fire NFL’s oldest coach Pete Carroll (74) after the league’s worst season of 3-14, forcing another coach search for the third year in a row.
Lawsuits over sports betting and prediction markets are putting pressure on US courts to finally determine where mobile betting occurs. The Supreme Court rejected a case involving the issues years ago, but new lawsuits could soon force a ruling.
SkyCity has confirmed a multi-year partnership with all five New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, strengthening its nationwide presence in professional rugby.
The Sports Betting Alliance announced that it will drop its motion for a restraining order, which it hoped would delay new licensing requirements in Chicago. The group thanked the city for addressing the license issues, but promised to continue fighting the changes.
Super Bowl LX is right around the corner, but bettors will find a far different experience when wagering on the NFL’s biggest game than in years past. We are covering three of the most significant changes ahead of February.
Michael Selig’s nomination to take over as the CFTC Chairman has been confirmed. He will assume leadership of the regulator, but has been clear that he doesn’t intend to take action on the battle over prediction markets.
The city of Chicago has approved a controversial 2026 budget that will impose a 10.25% tax and city-specific licensing requirements on online sportsbooks. The SBA has filed a motion for a restraining order to stop the changes from taking effect.
The Arizona Department of Gaming has sent a notice to Underdog, stating that its DFS license was being pulled due to its sports prediction market platform. The regulator had warned it would consider doing so, but Underdog is expected to appeal the decision.
Underdog has announced that it will close its online sportsbook in North Carolina, its only US market. The move was made as the company looks to shift its focus to its new sports prediction markets and DFS platform.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has agreed to delay a cease-and-desist letter sent to Kalshi as the two sides settle a lawsuit. As part of the agreement, key trial dates were set to ensure the legal battle would be resolved soon.
The MLB sent a memo to its players and coaches informing them that the use of sports prediction markets violates the league’s gambling policy. It confirmed that those who engage with these platforms risk punishment, including a lifetime ban.
An independent review has determined that Penn Entertainment and its board acted in the company’s best interest when choosing to shrink its board. The report rejects HG Vora's claim that the decision was an attempt to block their influence.
Fanatics stunned the industry today by launching a new prediction market platform in ten US markets. The launch is in partnership with Crypto.com and includes some states with legal sports betting. More expansion is coming soon, with Fanatics targeting larger states.
ESPN has announced that it will soon integrate DraftKings’ new prediction platform into its products. The move is part of the deal the two companies struck last week, which made DraftKings the company’s official betting partner.
Missouri’s new sports betting market went live on Monday with over 250,000 active accounts, adding just under 200,000 new users during the first day. GeoComply confirmed it received around 2.6 million location checks in the state.
New CFTC nominee Michael Selig sat before a Senate committee this week. A major topic was sports prediction markets and how Selig would handle the debate over them. The nominee promised to abide by whatever rulings the courts provide.
A Maryland District Court rejected a request from the city of Baltimore to move a lawsuit against FanDuel and DraftKings to federal court. The ruling determined that state courts should decide the issue since Massachusetts sets its own sports betting laws.
Leaders from FanDuel and DraftKings expressed confidence that their sports betting licenses will remain active, despite warnings from state regulators. Both have assessed the risk before confirming the launch of sports prediction markets and found little risk to their booming sports betting business.
FanDuel and DraftKings have announced their exit from the American Gaming Association. The move comes after the operators were unable to reach a common ground with the group on adding sports betting regulations for sports prediction markets.
FanDuel and DraftKings have both confirmed plans to offer sports prediction markets in the coming months. While limiting the offering to states without legal online sports betting, the launch will violate warnings from several state gambling regulators.
A California court has rejected a request from three tribes to ban Kalshi’s prediction market platform on their lands, claiming a violation of IGRA. The court held that, because sports contracts aren’t considered gambling, they cannot violate tribal gaming laws.
The MLB has reached a deal with the top US sportsbooks to place new limits on micro-betting after a recent scandal involving two active players. The changes include setting a $200 limit on those wagers and banning them from being added to parlays
Federal Prosecutors have filed indictments against Cleveland Guardians pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase over a betting scandal involving micro-betting. Both are accused of spot-fixing and are facing up to 60 years in federal prison.
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins reported losses of around $300 million from the NFL season, but touted a new deal with ESPN and the upcoming launch of its prediction platform. He believes the company is setting itself up for big things in 2026.
The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue began discussions over Senate Bill 592 this week. The bill would allow tribal gaming groups to start offering online sports betting, with servers hosted on their lands.
Disney and Penn Entertainment announced they have mutually agreed to end their partnership to operate ESPN Bet, which will close across the US on December 1. ESPN has agreed to make DraftKings its official betting partner, providing odds and more.
A recent report showed that Kalshi’s sports contract pricing still lags behind the sports betting industry. This, combined with increased competition and mounting lawsuits, has led many industry analysts to wonder if the giant is in trouble.
A massive betting scandal involving the NBA has drawn the attention of Congress. Lawmakers have reached out to officials from the country’s top sports leagues over concerns about their relationship to sports betting, forcing operators to make a difficult choice.
The NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder has proposed a legal sports betting market in Oklahoma. It would allow the NBA team to share licensing rights and revenue with tribal gaming groups that are open to working with the team.
DraftKings has acquired CFTC-licensed Railbird Exchange after months of negotiations, paving the way for the operator to launch a prediction market platform. The purchase comes soon after FanDuel confirmed it would launch its own prediction markets by the end of 2025.
The NHL has announced it has made Kalshi and Polymarket the league’s official sports prediction market partners, making it the first league to do so. The deal will allow for in-game and on-screen NHL events, including the Winter Classic.
Christian Pulisic injured his hamstring during a USMNT friendly against Australia, leaving questions about his status ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The team is now on edge, waiting for an update on the injury, along with Pulisic’s club, AC Milan.
