FanDuel is entering the prediction market industry, but the controversial sports contracts aren’t specifically mentioned as potential offerings.
Key Takeaways
- FanDuel announced it will start a new joint venture with CME Group to offer financial prediction markets to the sportsbook’s customers.
- The two companies hope to “attract a new generation of potential traders.”
- FanDuel’s prediction markets are subject to review by federal regulators.
The top sportsbook and iGaming operator in the U.S. announced a “groundbreaking” partnership with derivatives marketplace company CME Group to launch financial event contract products to FanDuel’s customers.
“Partnering with CME Group will unlock our ability to bring even more new and engaging products to FanDuel’s fast-growing customer base,” Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel Group, said on Wednesday. "We believe there is potentially a wide audience for trading event-based markets and we want to provide a platform that allows our customers to engage in this activity.”
The prediction markets that will be available later this year will include stock market indexes S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100, oil and gas prices, gold, cryptocurrencies, and “key economic indicators such as GDP and CPI.”
What about sports?
There was no mention of sports event contracts, like what federally-regulated prediction platform Kalshi currently offers to all 50 U.S. states. FanDuel did say that “further details of additional offerings (are) to be determined in the coming months,” and the operator would only confirm what was in the official press release.
FanDuel said its joint venture will “operate a non-clearing futures commission merchant (FCM) that will facilitate access to these event-based contracts through FanDuel.” Event contracts offerings are subject to the federal regulator Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s review and CME’s rules on exchanges.
“Individual investors are increasingly sophisticated and continually pursuing new financial opportunities,” said Terry Duffy, CME Group chairman and CEO. “To meet this demand, we have created this innovative partnership, which will operate a non-clearing FCM. Together, our event-based products will appeal to the growing public interest in markets, and we will provide education to attract a new generation of potential traders not active in derivatives today.”
Protecting regulatory relationships
FanDuel is owned by Flutter Entertainment, which runs European exchange operator BetFair, so the company has experience in this space. In June, FanDuel reportedly had collaboration conversations with Kalshi, which offers sports markets on the NFL, NBA, MLB, and more, as well as financial, political, and entertainment markets, through its site and app.
Kalshi is fighting legal battles with multiple states over its sports contract offerings in jurisdictions with legal, regulated sports betting. Flutter CEO Peter Jackson said last week that prediction platforms have not hurt FanDuel’s business, but the gaming operator would not risk upsetting state regulators with sports contracts just to enter the industry.
“The complexity here is managing regulatory relationships and stakeholders,” Jackson said. “When you think about what our primary goal is, it’s about getting to as many states. We can’t let what’s happening in the prediction markets upset that.”
