Kalshi and Polymarket are now official partners of the NBA.
But the league's ties to Kalshi and Polymarket, the prediction-market platforms, are drawing criticism from sports fans concerned about gambling's growing presence in the games they watch.
Here's what to know
An Instagram post by More Perfect Union (@perfectunion) described the ties.
Critics have alleged that the platforms operate as illegal gambling businesses. States including Utah and New York have filed civil lawsuits or sued the platforms over allegations of illegal gambling. Connecticut, Arizona, and Illinois have also sent cease-and-desist orders to the platforms.
Fans questioned how the relationships might affect trust in games.
"The ens***ification of everything continues," one user said.
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Another wrote, "I'm sure this won't affect the outcome of games at all."
Outcomes may not be affected, but fans will likely be skeptical.
While referees are used to dealing with fan dissatisfaction, they may be subject to even more accusations, even if the allegations are based on nothing more than distrust.
More background
Online gambling platforms are facing scrutiny over alleged predatory design, aggressive advertising, and the ease of real-time betting.
"I'm glad parents don't have to get in the car and drive all the way to a casino to lose the kids' lunch money anymore," one commenter said. "What an inconvenience that was."
Another wrote: "I predict that this is a terrible idea that will result in a huge evaporation of trust in fair outcomes and general goodwill toward the NBA's already uneven and downtrending brand."
The vast number of sarcastic comments about the partnerships points to the notion that fans find them comically bad.
What can be done?
Users challenged the NBA's choices and questioned online gambling's role in sports entertainment.
The league has set up its own integrity protection measures, CNBC reported, and the platforms will restrict some of the betting types on NBA games. Whether those safeguards are effective remains to be seen.
"As a non-gambling and non-predicting sports fan, I'm pretty sure this won't affect the league's popularity much, contrary to what many here wish," one commenter said. "Sports are saturated with unethical ads and degenerate crap such as this partnership. It's possible to just tune it out and enjoy the games, matches, fights, etc."
Where can I learn more?
These stories cover legal challenges involving Kalshi and Polymarket, LeBron James' Polymarket sponsorship, and prediction markets' growing mainstream presence.
• Michigan's attorney general secured a new block against Kalshi over unlicensed sports betting.
• LeBron James' Polymarket sponsorship drew criticism, with the deal reportedly exceeding his NBA paycheck.
• Critics argue Polymarket and Kalshi use the prediction-market label to sidestep liability and taxes.
• New York sued Polymarket over alleged illegal gambling, seeking to shut the platform down.
• George Santos and Bill Simmons illustrate prediction markets' mainstream reach as gambling gains cultural visibility.
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