Barkley Exits Prediction Market: New NFL Gambling Restrictions

Saquon Barkley sold his equity stake in Polymarket to satisfy new NFL regulations.

The Eagles running back told Front Office Sports on Wednesday that the league prohibits players from investing in gambling or prediction-market companies.

He explained that the NFL informs athletes each season regarding permitted endorsements and investments, noting that prediction markets are no longer on the approved list.

"I was in it before, but no bueno," Barkley said.

An NFL Players Association spokesperson stated earlier this year that the league views prediction markets as gambling entities.

Consequently, players cannot serve as endorsers or brand ambassadors for firms like Kalshi or Polymarket under the current gambling policy.

Barkley has been an active investor away from the field.

A 2025 report by The Profile indicated he invested upwards of $500,000 in various startups.

Those investments included Anthropic, Anduril, Ramp, Cognition, Neuralink, Strike, and Polymarket.

The NFL's stance on prediction markets distinguishes it from other major American sports leagues.

The NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, and MLS all maintain agreements with Kalshi, Polymarket, or both.

The league is also seeking judicial clarification on the issue earlier this month by asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the matter of sports-event contracts offered by prediction markets which mimic traditional sports betting and whether they fall under the authority of state gambling regulators. A league source told ESPN's David Purdum that the NFL wants quick clarity from the court. The source added that the league would accept a federal framework if it mirrored state regulatory approaches.