The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has issued a stern warning to prediction market platform Kalshi, demanding that the company cease using language that falsely implies an official affiliation between the two organizations.
The intervention was detailed in an October 30, 2025, letter penned by NCAA Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Scott Bearby.
The core issue stems from Kalshi’s website displaying the phrase “Outcome verified from NCAA,” which was hyperlinked to the official NCAA.com site. Bearby expressed significant concern that this language would mislead the public into believing that the NCAA has a formal relationship with Kalshi that involves “verifying” or “approving” data.
Given the NCAA’s strong opposition to sports betting, the association warned that this misrepresentation could cause “significant harm to the value and goodwill of the NCAA brand.”
The NCAA has requested that Kalshi immediately amend the phrasing to a more accurate statement, such as “Outcome sourced from NCAA.com.”
Additionally, the association requires Kalshi to include a disclaimer on all college sports-related markets explicitly stating that there is no affiliation or endorsement from the NCAA. A spokesperson for Kalshi acknowledged the warning, stating the company “values the NCAA’s feedback” and is “working to update the language” accordingly.
Unlike its formal partnerships with entities like the National Hockey League (NHL), Kalshi has no such arrangement with the NCAA. The platform previously drew similar criticism for using unauthorized NFL and NFL Players Association imagery earlier this year.
The controversy is heightened by the presence of college sports prediction markets, which were introduced during March Madness 2025.
These markets, some of which resemble prop bets, are facing intense scrutiny due to integrity concerns. NCAA President Charlie Baker has consistently argued that player-related prop betting heightens the risk of harassment and compromises competitive integrity. The NCAA’s letter pressed Kalshi for clarity on its plans to offer similar markets in the future, noting that many U.S. states already prohibit them.
Kalshi maintains that it operates as a federally regulated financial exchange, not a gambling platform, stating: “With Kalshi, there is no house. We don’t win when our customers lose.” The warning underscores the increasing friction between new financial technologies and traditional sports integrity measures.
