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NCAA President Charlie Baker is calling for an immediate suspension of prediction markets tied to college sports, warning that they operate like unregulated sports betting and threaten student-athletes and game integrity.
In a Jan. 14, 2026, letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig, Baker urged a pause on all college-related prediction markets while regulators develop uniform national standards. “These platforms operate too much like sports gambling without the protections that exist elsewhere,” he wrote.
“The answer cannot be the status quo. We need one set of fair, transparent standards.” Baker said the NCAA is willing to work with the CFTC to establish rules allowing markets to resume only after robust safeguards are in place.
How college prediction markets mimic sports betting
Prediction markets let users trade contracts based on game results, point spreads and totals. Operators present them as forecasting tools regulated by the CFTC, separate from state-licensed sportsbooks. Several large gambling companies now offer contracts on college events.
Baker argues these contracts function like traditional wagers. Moneylines, spreads and totals for college games already appear on some platforms, operating the same way as bets many states restrict or prohibit for amateur sports. While legal sports betting has grown rapidly since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that struck down the federal ban, prediction markets largely avoid NCAA protections.
Gaps in monitoring, marketing, and age verification
Baker highlighted several areas where prediction markets fall short. Age verification is a primary concern: most states require sports bettors to be 21 or older, but many markets allow 18-year-olds, raising the risk of student involvement.
Marketing is another gap. Legal sportsbooks cannot advertise on campuses or use student-athletes in promotions. Prediction markets face no comparable limits and often frame trading as investing, which could mislead younger users.
Integrity monitoring is also weaker. Legal sportsbooks use geolocation tools, real-time alerts and mandatory reporting; many prediction markets do not. Operators are not required to consult with sports governing bodies or cooperate in investigations, creating blind spots in oversight.
NCAA warns against college player prop bets
Baker remains concerned about individual player bets. He has successfully pushed states to restrict or ban college prop bets following reports of threats and online abuse toward athletes. Prediction markets already offer professional props, and Baker expects similar college-focused contracts. Some proposals even involve contracts on whether players enter the transfer portal — events unrelated to performance — which Baker said could harm athletes’ mental health and public confidence.
Student-athletes frequently report harassment tied to betting losses. Baker called for anti-harassment measures and noted that states with legal betting often fund campus gambling education and treatment, which prediction markets generally do not.
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. Policy, research and advocacy have helped eliminate college prop bets in many states.
Baker requested a full suspension of college sports trading while regulators develop rules matching or exceeding sports betting standards: 21+ age verification, campus ad bans, comprehensive monitoring, prop prohibitions, harassment enforcement and dedicated harm-reduction funding.
The CFTC now faces a consequential decision. Suspending college-related contracts could disrupt operators and slow growth in a developing market, but ignoring the risks could cause long-term harm to amateur sports. The letter arrives as states tighten restrictions and federal sports betting proposals gain attention. While professional leagues embrace gambling partnerships for revenue, college leaders continue to prioritize athlete welfare.
