The National Football League (NFL) has issued a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), recommending amendments to the CFTC’s proposed rules for prediction market regulation.
“While the Proposed Prediction Market Rulemaking contains several productive proposals, it must be strengthened in key areas. We are encouraged to see the Commission has considered and incorporated some elements from our prior letter, submitted in response to the… request for comments regarding event contract derivatives,” NFL SVP of Public Policy & Government Affairs Brendon Plack said.
“However, the draft rules fall significantly short of protecting the integrity of sporting events and the fans who participate in these markets. It is surprising that further common-sense integrity and consumer protection measures provided in the Prior League Comment Letter were not adopted.”
The CFTC proposed amendments to its event contract derivatives rules on June 12, providing its first-ever definition of gaming and opening a 45-day public commentary period for potential alterations to the regulations.
The Commission described gaming as “any activity that one or more participants typically engage in for purposes of recreation or to entertain others, is governed by rules and includes measurable occurrences or outcomes that depend on the participants’ luck, skill or athletic ability during the activity.“
As part of the public commentary period, the CFTC requested feedback on a variety of topics, including insider information, margin trading, core principles, blockchain markets and public-interest bans.
The NFL offered multiple reasons as to why the proposed rulemaking needs to be amended, and was perhaps motivated by having to place Arizona Cardinals Director of College Scouting Ryan Gold under indefinite suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy on July 17.
Gold allegedly provided inside information on the 2026 NFL Draft and participated in football-related wagers, including selections Arizona was planning to make prior to the picks being announced.
According to an investigation conducted by the NFL, Gold also participated in parlay bets on the NFL and collegiate football games.
The CFTC opened an investigation into Gabriel Perez on July 16, who is accused of using inside information to profit off event contracts related to speeches conducted by President Donald Trump
