The U.S. sports betting world moves quickly and unpredictably in 2026. In order to properly take stock of it all, we offer InGame’s “EndGame,” an end-of-week compilation of the top storylines, some overlooked items, and all the other news bits from this past week that we found interesting.
IGA chairman calls out CFTC’s Selig
Indian Gaming Association (IGA) Chair David Z. Bean called out Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Michael Selig following what Bean called a “listening session” with the agency Monday. The event was billed as a private roundtable for the tribes to discuss prediction markets with the CFTC.
“Tribal Organizations met with the CFTC this week in an attempt to engage in meaningful discussion about the CFTC’s proposed rule and position on prediction markets,” Bean said via an IGA press release Thursday. “Instead, Chairman Selig sat mostly silent and refused to discuss his proposed rule allowing sports bets on agricultural DCMs.”
Tribal leaders from 17 Indian groups laid out three priorities during the meeting, moderated by Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Chair Matt Morgan. During the meeting, tribal leaders reiterated that they believe sports event contracts are illegal, that “meaningful government-to-government consultation” is required when federal decisions regarding tribal sovereignty and gaming are involved, and that the roundtable may have served as a first step, but that it was inadequate.
“The roundtable fell well short of that standard [meaningful consultation],” National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro said via press release. “Tribal Nations deserve a seat at the table when policies directly impact their sovereignty, jurisdiction, economies, and abilities to provide critical services to Tribal citizens.”
— Jill R. Dorson
Tribe is first to plan for prediction market
While making no mention of sports event contracts, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana announced Friday that it would be the first tribal nation with a prediction market app. And it will do so in partnership with Kalshi, which will power the app, which is to be released in coming months.
A press release said the new venture will focus on providing software for trading event contracts “but may branch out into other offerings as opportunities arise.” The announcement brings a new wrinkle to the heated dispute between tribes nationally and the prediction market industry over use of the products on tribal land, particularly as they relate to sports betting.
However, Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Marshall Pierite said in the release, “This partnership represents exactly the type of opportunity Indian Country should be pursuing where Tribes are owners, innovators, and leaders, not just participants.”
Backlash from FanDuel’s Harper video in NJ
New Jersey lawmakers are considering new steps in response to a controversy in which FanDuel used a personalized Bryce Harper video to help encourage betting by a customer who said he had gambling addiction issues.
The New Jersey Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee on Monday approved and sent to the full legislature a resolution that calls on sportsbook operators to avoid such marketing directed at people who have shown they could be problem gamblers. SBC Americas reported that the resolution, AR 150, does not mention Harper by name but cites FanDuel and its use of “a professional baseball player” in a video. Federal lawmakers have written to FanDuel objecting to its use of the video, which Harper has stated he was unaware would be used in the way it was.
The same committee also approved related problem gambling legislation that would require individuals who have self-excluded to take part in educational programs on gambling awareness before they can come off the exclusion list and resume betting.
Genius Sports has new predictions site
Genius Sports on Thursday launched Prediction.com, which its press release described as “a new consumer platform that enables users to discover prediction markets, compare equivalent event contracts across multiple platforms, and follow how market probabilities change as events unfold.”
Genius Sports launched the platform through Legend, its consumer media and technology business. The company said the intent is to compare pricing and markets from major prediction platforms “in a single destination,” including comparisons of “the fast-growing multi-leg segment.”
Genius Sports has already been providing official sports data and integrity services to leading prediction market platforms.
Underdog sues over Connecticut crackdown
Underdog filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the state of Connecticut, objecting to a cease-and-desist order issued by the state last week against its prediction market platform and eight others, as reported by iGamingWorld. Underdog recently announced that it would be focusing on its new Underdog Predict operation instead of fantasy sports contests, but the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection maintains the prediction operators’ sports event contracts are illegal in the state.
As is the case with ongoing litigation involving Kalshi and the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission in other states, Underdog argues its contracts fall under exclusive CFTC jurisdiction. The CFTC itself filed suit previously against Connecticut in April over the issue, and ongoing litigation involving the federal agency, Kalshi, and the state remains to be settled. Underdog also has gone to court in five other states — Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin — where regulators are seeking to curb prediction markets, iGamingWorld reported.
Odds and ends
- Caesars Sportsbook has the right to operate nine new in-person betting locations in Arizona through a partnership with Turf Paradise, the Arizona Department of Gaming announced Tuesday. The limited gaming licenses issued a week ago are for use at racing or off-track betting locations. Caesars also has a retail wagering location at Chase Field and operates an online wagering platform in Arizona.
- The Ohio Casino Control Commission has become the third state regulator to withdraw its membership from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) due to the council’s acceptance of prediction market operator Kalshi as a partner. The government agencies overseeing gambling in Nevada and Michigan previously withdrew their support, objecting to the NCPG’s acceptance of a $2 million contribution from Kalshi when many states oppose the prediction markets’ intrusion into the sports betting field without state regulation.
- Barrett Media reports that Las Vegas-based sports betting network VSiN has made staff cuts among its on-air talent and elsewhere “before an upcoming ownership change.” Among those let go this week are multi-sport analyst Tyler Shoemaker, betting analyst Josh Applebaum, hoops/MLB contributor Greg Peterson, and Cashing Out host Joe Ceraulo.
- With Amazon Prime’s debut this week of Thursday Night Football telecasts, FanDuel announced it was beginning a new feature in partnership with the streaming service. A customer of both FanDuel and Prime Video can link the two accounts to have a personalized, bet-tracking experience in which their active NFL bets will be displayed and updated on the screen.
ICYMI
The Supreme Court Is The Wrong Forum To Decide The Future Of Prediction Markets
Ninth Circuit Deals Another Blow To Kalshi, Sets Stage For Sports Ban On Tribal Lands
Kalshi’s Request For A Ninth Circuit Rehearing Handcuffs States
Is The CFTC Stepping Up Its Regulation Of Prediction Markets, Or Its Defense Of Them?
Texas Lawmakers Prep For Lt. Governor’s Agenda With Decidedly Anti-Predictions and Wagering Hearing
Nebraska Online Sports Betting Fight Getting Contentious
Leagues, Player Unions Seeking Bans Of Bettors Who Threaten Athletes
Sydney Sweeney Is Naked And Novig Is Winning
First Sportsbooks Sold Gambling, Now Gambling Sells Everything Else
