Eagles Running Back Saquon Barkley Exits Polymarket Portfolio
The NFL's new gambling policy requires players to withdraw from prediction market companies, a rule that does not currently apply to other major US professional sports leagues.
By Olga Paredes ·
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley confirmed on Wednesday that he has divested his equity stake in Polymarket. He stated that the move was mandatory to satisfy NFL regulations prohibiting players from holding investments in gambling or prediction market firms.
Barkley explained to Front Office Sports that the league communicates specific endorsement and investment restrictions to athletes prior to each season. He noted that involvement with prediction markets is no longer permitted. "I was in it before, but no bueno," Barkley said.
An NFL Players Association spokesperson previously clarified the league's stance this year. The union stated that the NFL views prediction markets as gambling entities. Consequently, players cannot serve as endorsers or brand ambassadors for companies such as Kalshi or Polymarket under the existing gambling policy.
Barkley has been an active investor in recent years. A 2025 report by The Profile indicated he has allocated more than $500,000 to several startups. Those ventures include Anthropic, Anduril, Ramp, Cognition, Neuralink, Strike, and Polymarket.
The NFL's position on these partnerships contrasts with other major American sports leagues. The NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL, and MLS all maintain active deals with Kalshi, Polymarket, or both. The NFL asked the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month to review whether sports event contracts in prediction markets fall under state gambling regulators.
A league source told ESPN's David Purdum that the NFL seeks rapid clarity from the court on the issue. The league indicated it would accept a federal framework if that approach mirrored the regulatory standards used by individual states.
Source: ESPN
