DraftKings expands prediction markets catalogue in deal with Crypto.com

• DraftKings has partnered with Crypto.com to offer the first player-specific sports event contracts for NFL and NBA.
• The expansion adds sports including soccer, MMA, golf, boxing, tennis, and Olympic Games to the platform.
• DraftKings Predictions will introduce new categories including politics, culture, and entertainment.

DraftKings has announced an agreement with Crypto.com | Derivatives North America to significantly broaden the prediction markets available on DraftKings Predictions, marking the first player-specific sports event contracts offered on the platform for both the NFL and NBA.

Player-specific contracts and sports expansion

The partnership establishes DraftKings Predictions’ entry into player-specific event contracts, a development that expands beyond team-based outcomes. The collaboration also extends the platform’s reach across multiple sports categories and lays the groundwork for future prediction markets in politics.

Jeanine Hightower-Sellitto, Senior Vice President and General Manager of DraftKings Predictions, said:

“We’re continuing to build momentum behind DraftKings Predictions by leveraging our expertise across sports and technology and integrating additional CFTC-regulated exchanges like Crypto.com,” said Hightower-Sellitto.

“This collaboration meaningfully expands customer access to trade on sports and a broader range of prediction markets and also reinforces our focus on delivering a more comprehensive and engaging experience as the product continues to evolve.”

The expansion adds breadth across sports prediction markets in states where the product is available, spanning soccer, MMA, golf, boxing, tennis, and the Olympic Games. These additions complement the existing sports and financial markets provided by CME Group, which DraftKings previously integrated into its platform.

New categories and exchange integration

Beyond sports, Crypto.com is expected to support DraftKings Predictions’ introduction of new event contract categories, including culture, entertainment, and politics. The CFTC-regulated derivatives exchange brings established infrastructure for cryptocurrency-based prediction markets.

Travis McGhee, Global Head of Predictions at Crypto.com, commented:

“Crypto.com continues to lead the way with innovative collaboration. Connecting with DraftKings, a household name in sports, is an important milestone for us because it allows us to not only expand access to prediction markets in sports, but it grows our distribution to prediction markets on cryptocurrencies, financials, companies, politics, culture, entertainment and beyond,” said McGhee.

“We are thrilled to work with DraftKings, and we look forward to creating an engaging experience together for customers across the country.”

DraftKings Predictions will also integrate Railbird Exchange in the coming months, further strengthening its offering through multiple exchange partnerships. This multi-exchange approach provides users with access to diverse markets and liquidity sources.

Regulatory framework and state availability

DraftKings Predictions allows eligible customers to make predictions through federally regulated event contracts, including sports event contracts in states such as California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. The platform operates as a standalone product, separate from DraftKings’ traditional sports betting offerings.

The platform integrates DraftKings’ Responsible Trading programme with tools and resources available directly within the standalone app and at predictions.draftkings.com. Customers can access DraftKings Predictions by downloading the app for iOS or Android.

Market implications

The entry of major operators like DraftKings into prediction markets comes during a period of regulatory turbulence for the sector. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has taken legal action to halt Coinbase sports contracts, while a Nevada court issued a temporary restraining order against Polymarket operations.

Arizona has moved to revoke Underdog’s licence over its prediction markets partnership. The operator also exited North Carolina sports betting to focus on prediction markets. The NFL has banned prediction market advertisements from Super Bowl LX, reflecting ongoing industry tensions.

Despite regulatory challenges, FanDuel Predicts has gone live in all 50 states, offering sports markets in 18. The competitive landscape extends globally, in Europe, with the UK Gambling Commission confirming that prediction markets require a gambling licence, similar to betting exchanges, which have been around since the 2000s.

For DraftKings, the partnership offers diversification beyond its core sports betting and DFS businesses. Crypto.com gains access to DraftKings’ extensive US customer base and regulatory licences through the collaboration.