Betr, the gaming operator founded by Joey Levy and influencer Jake Paul, has acquired Ascent Capital Management, giving the operator a route into CFTC-regulated prediction markets through an existing National Futures Association-registered introducing broker.
The acquisition allows Betr to operate as a CFTC-registered introducing broker, a structure used by firms that solicit or accept orders for futures, options or swaps but do not hold customer funds. Ascent Capital Management has been registered as an introducing broker since 2011, according to Betr’s announcement.
Betr plans to use the registration to support the launch of Polymarket-powered prediction markets inside its app later this year. The operator said users will be able to access event contracts covering sports, politics, culture and other categories alongside Betr Picks, Sportsbook, Casino and Arcade.
Betr Founder and CEO, Joey Levy, said: “By securing IB registration through the acquisition of an established broker, we can now focus entirely on launching a seamless, compliant prediction markets experience powered by Polymarket.”
The transaction comes as prediction markets remain under regulatory pressure in the US. Minnesota became the first state to enact a ban on prediction markets, with the law due to take effect on 1 August 2026, before the CFTC filed a lawsuit seeking to block it.
The category has also drawn criticism from parts of the gaming sector. At a Senate hearing held on 20 May 2026, lawmakers and industry representatives debated whether sports-linked event contracts should be treated as federally regulated derivatives or state-regulated sports betting products.
Other gaming operators have also explored similar routes. Fanatics launched Fanatics Markets in December 2025 after acquiring Paragon Global Markets, another CFTC-registered introducing broker and NFA member.
Betr’s latest move follows its previous product expansion before the 2025 NFL season, when it revamped Betr Picks and introduced Betr Arcade in multiple states.
NFA registration gives Betr market access infrastructure, but individual event contracts can still face legal and regulatory challenges at state level
