NCAA President Charlie Baker has formally urged federal regulators to suspend all prediction markets tied to college sports, citing concerns that these platforms operate like unregulated sports betting and pose risks to student-athletes and game integrity.

In a Jan. 14, 2026, letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig, Baker called for an immediate pause on college-related prediction markets while national standards are developed. “These platforms operate too much like sports gambling without the protections that exist elsewhere,” Baker wrote. He emphasized the need for uniform rules, adding, “The answer cannot be the status quo. We need one set of fair, transparent standards.” Baker noted that the NCAA is prepared to collaborate with the CFTC to resume operations only after robust safeguards are implemented.

Prediction markets and their resemblance to sports betting

Prediction markets allow users to trade contracts based on game outcomes, point spreads, and totals. Although these platforms are regulated by the CFTC and presented as forecasting tools rather than wagers, several large gambling companies now offer contracts tied to college events.

Baker argues that many of these contracts function like traditional bets, including moneylines, spreads, and totals, similar to wagers that are restricted or prohibited in amateur sports. While legal sports betting has expanded following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling overturning the federal ban, prediction markets largely operate outside NCAA protections.

The NCAA president highlighted significant regulatory gaps. Age verification is a primary concern: many states require sports bettors to be at least 21, but several prediction markets permit 18-year-olds, potentially exposing students to financial and reputational risk.

Marketing practices are another concern. Legal sportsbooks face strict advertising limitations on campuses and cannot use student-athletes in promotions, yet prediction markets operate with few restrictions, often framing trading as “investing,” which could mislead younger participants.

Integrity monitoring is also weaker. Legal sportsbooks employ geolocation tools, real-time alerts, and mandatory reporting, while prediction markets generally lack these measures. Operators are not required to coordinate with sports governing bodies, creating oversight blind spots.

Baker expressed particular concern over individual player bets. He has successfully lobbied states to restrict or ban college prop bets after reports of harassment and online abuse toward athletes. Prediction markets already offer professional player props, and Baker anticipates that college-focused contracts could soon emerge. Some proposed contracts even involve events unrelated to performance, such as whether a player enters the transfer portal — developments Baker warned could harm athletes’ mental health and public confidence.

Student-athletes have reported harassment linked to betting losses, highlighting the potential risks. Baker called for anti-harassment measures and noted that states with legal betting often fund campus gambling education and treatment programs, resources that prediction markets generally do not provide.

These platforms operate too much like sports gambling without the protections that exist elsewhere. The answer cannot be the status quo. We need one set of fair, transparent standards.

NCAA pushes for comprehensive safeguards

The NCAA educates hundreds of thousands of student-athletes on gambling risks and monitors over 23,000 contests annually for unusual patterns. Its policy, research, and advocacy efforts have helped eliminate college prop bets in multiple states.

Baker requested a full suspension of college sports trading while regulators establish rules aligned with or exceeding sports betting standards, including:

• Mandatory 21+ age verification
• Campus advertising bans
• Comprehensive monitoring for integrity violations
• Prohibitions on prop bets
• Anti-harassment enforcement
• Dedicated funding for harm-reduction initiatives

The CFTC now faces a consequential decision. Suspending college-related contracts could disrupt operators and slow market growth, but ignoring the risks could create long-term damage to amateur sports. The letter arrives amid growing state restrictions and federal proposals on sports betting. While professional leagues increasingly embrace gambling partnerships for revenue, college leaders continue to prioritize student-athlete welfare.