NFL asks Supreme Court to hear Kalshi case over sports-event contracts

The NFL asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to hear New Jersey regulators' case against Kalshi, bringing its concerns about sports-event contracts directly into the dispute over who should regulate them. The league submitted an amicus brief supporting the state's petition in case No. 26-299.

The request has not produced a Supreme Court ruling. The public docket shows the NFL's October 8 submission, but no grant of review. Kalshi's response to the petition is due November 9 after an extension granted in September. The justices must first decide whether to hear the case.

CNBC's Contessa Brewer reported the filing Thursday morning and shared her report on X. Her account identifies the league's position as an argument for state regulation, not a decision already made by the Court.

The NFL's concern is how safeguards apply to contracts tied to football. Its brief describes categories it considers vulnerable to manipulation by an individual player, coach or official. It also seeks a minimum age of 21 and protections against trading on inside information. Those are the league's stated concerns; the filing does not establish that a particular game or contract was manipulated.

In the league's account, differing federal appeals court decisions have left the rules unsettled. It asks for clarity before another NFL season passes. If state oversight prevails, it expects state protections to apply. If federal oversight prevails, it says it would press the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, exchanges and Congress for stronger safeguards before the 2027 season.

Ohio, 38 other states and the District of Columbia submitted a separate supporting brief Wednesday. They argue that federal financial-market law should not displace states' authority over sports gambling simply because the transactions are labeled derivatives. Their filing supplies the states' position, rather than an outcome binding the Supreme Court.

Kalshi disputes the NFL's assessment of federal oversight. Spokesperson Elisabeth Diana told CNBC that the CFTC's ongoing rulemaking would address many of the league's concerns and that the agency can oversee sports-related event contracts. She also said Kalshi had sought collaboration with the NFL on market integrity and hoped the league would engage. CNBC disclosed a commercial relationship with Kalshi that includes a minority investment and customer acquisition.

For football fans, Thursday's development adds the league's formal argument to a pending case. It does not announce a new nationwide restriction or settle which regulator has authority. The next question is whether the Supreme Court agrees to review the dispute.