On October 26, the NBA named Kalshi and Polymarket as its “preferred prediction market partners,” granting each company the right to use NBA intellectual property, such as logos and branding, in their apps and marketing. Although the NBA owns 42% of the WNBA, that does not automatically include the women’s league in the deal with the prediction market platforms, as both parties would need to reach a separate agreement with the W. But it now appears the WNBA is considering a potential partnership.

​​“The deals announced on Monday address critical integrity protections for both the NBA and WNBA. With those protections in place, the WNBA is now assessing the commercial opportunity,” a league spokesperson told Ben Horney of Front Office Sports.

As we all know, prediction markets allow users to buy and sell contracts based on the outcome of future events. For example, a user could buy a contract predicting that the Golden State Valkyries will win Game 7 of the WNBA Finals against the Atlanta Dream. If the outcome is correct, the user receives a financial payout based on the contract’s terms and market price. However, an incorrect outcome could result in the user losing the money invested.

The “critical integrity protections” the league spokesperson mentioned refer to the NBA placing restrictions on what platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket can offer. These include predictions on events like who scores the first basket and certain bets involving players expected to get limited playing time.

For example, if someone knows that Caitlin Clark is carrying an injury and will play only a few minutes, they could use that information to their benefit and predict that Clark will score fewer points. The idea is to basically prevent that and any intentions on the players’ part to make extra money via bettors.

The possibility of the WNBA entering the prediction market industry is not entirely a new concept. The league already shares two primary sportsbook partners with the NBA: DraftKings and FanDuel. In addition, the league has formed relationships with the “authorized gaming operators” Fanatics Sportsbook, BetMGM, and Bet365.

According to FOS, Kalshi is “interested” in getting into business with the WNBA. However, a company representative declined to comment on whether discussions about a potential deal had taken place. They were not the only ones, as Fanatics, Polymarket, and Novig also declined to comment.

The potential partnership with prediction markets has also drawn attention from the players’ union executive director, Terri Carmicheal Jackson.

“We would hope the WNBA engages in meaningful dialogue with the union before moving forward in this direction. The players are central stakeholders in the game, and their voices and perspectives should be an essential part of these conversations.”

While there is no confirmation that the WNBA will partner with a prediction market, the spokesperson emphasized that the league is continuing to evaluate the category and will decide “at the appropriate time.”

Nevertheless, the NBA’s latest agreement with the platforms calls for another opportunity for the WNBA to expand its commercial reach. But a major off-the-court issue looms in the background.

Player Safety Remains a Major Concern

While there is no question that prediction markets can provide the WNBA with another revenue stream, multiple players have expressed concern about the abuse they have received from individuals involved in sports betting.

Back in July, Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray posted a screenshot on her Instagram story of a user racially abusing her in Instagram DMs after the Aces lost to the Indiana Fever. “People act like we make this s*** up… And the audacity to tell us as athletes to ‘shut up and dribble.’” Gray wrote.

Gray posted the user’s handle, and social media identified them as an employee of Hilton Grand Vacations. They have since been fired from the company.

Days after the Chelsea Gray incident, Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud praised the Aces star for going public and revealed this was not the first time a player has received hateful messages from sports bettors.

“I’m called a b****, I’m called a n*****, I’m called everything under the sun. I’ve been told that they hope that our plane crashes on the way home,” Cloud told FOS.

Cloud also took aim at WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and wanted her to address such issues going forward. The Sky guard then directed towards NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

“We got NBA players being followed out in public because of not hitting parlays. I get that it’s really great for our league. It’s great for the business that is the NBA and WNBA, and it helps expand. But at the end of the day, your job, your first priority, is the protection of the players, the protection of your investment in your players, and the safety surrounding the players,” Cloud said.

Alyssa Thomas was also recently asked about betting-related harassment that WNBA players have been facing online, and her candid response stood out.

“At the end of the day, I just don’t feel that people should send death threats or things of that nature over betting.”

“I think we all understand it’s a hard thing to control. Sports are one of the most popular things… At the end of the day, we’re doing our jobs,” Thomas told reporters in the clip. “That has nothing to do with us. And yeah, I think we just gotta continue to grow and find better ways to limit those things.”

Then, earlier this month, WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike shed light on the brutal reality of what all this has meant for the players.

“It’s not a safe place for athletes, I have to say,” Nneka said in an Instagram video by Fortune Magazine. “I do understand the business of things and being able to contribute to a growing league. But unfortunately, in what I like to call growing pains, players are definitely having a hard time dealing with the vitriol that comes with prediction markets as it relates to our performance.

“There’s been a lot of safety issues and concerns that haven’t necessarily been publicly displayed. But through the PA and through the WNBA, there are a lot of resources that are available to try and mitigate those things. But it doesn’t mean that it stops players from experiencing things that could potentially, and have potentially affected, their performance.”

Considering the players’ and the WNBPA statements, whether the league moves forward with a potential partnership with prediction markets will depend on how effectively it can address player concerns while making the most of the opportunity.