Kalshi has become the exclusive prediction market partner of the US Open, barring rival platforms from advertising at the tournament and its ESPN broadcasts, according to reporting on the partnership.
The exclusivity agreement restricts competing prediction market operators from promotional activity across all US Open venues and the network's coverage of the event. No financial terms were disclosed. The deal places Kalshi in a direct position to capture retail and professional wagering traffic from one of tennis's four major tournaments, held annually at Flushing Meadows in Queens.
Kalshi operates as a CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange, having received conditional registration in 2021 and full approval in 2023. The platform allows users to trade contracts on outcomes of events across politics, sports, finance and other categories. Competitors in the space include Polymarket, which operates via the Polygon blockchain with offshore incorporation, and PredictIt, which holds a no-action letter from the CFTC but faces regulatory constraints limiting contract prices and user positions.
Prediction markets have grown through sports partnerships. Major League Baseball allows betting on games through licensed sportsbooks, and golf has expanded wagering access around tournaments. The US Open's decision to grant exclusivity to a prediction market operator rather than partnering with traditional sportsbooks or taking an agnostic stance distinguishes this deal from prior sports betting arrangements.
Kalshi's regulatory status as a fully registered exchange distinguishes it from Polymarket, which operates without formal US registration. The company has faced pressure from the CFTC over contract offerings on election outcomes, but maintains compliance with derivatives trading rules that offshore and blockchain-based competitors may not meet.
The ESPN broadcast restriction is the most restrictive element of the deal. ESPN reaches roughly 80 million US households and carries US Open coverage live during the tournament's two-week run in late August and early September. Exclusivity on the network's feeds prevents competing platforms from acquiring advertising slots at rates tied to tennis viewership, a valuable placement for audience acquisition in sports betting.
Kalshi's partnership with a mainstream sports property and broadcast network occurs as prediction markets face divergent regulatory treatment. The CFTC has expanded jurisdictional claims over crypto-based prediction contracts, while some policy voices argue for broader legalization.
