The National Hockey League has secured multi-year licensing agreements with prediction-market startups Kalshi and Polymarket, becoming the first major U.S. professional sports league to permit the use of its trademarks by prediction markets, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. 

The deals, announced Wednesday, mark a significant step for these trading platforms as they challenge established sportsbook operators like DraftKings and FanDuel in the sports betting space.

These prediction-market startups have been expanding into territory traditionally dominated by established gambling companies by offering “event contracts” on games that function similarly to traditional sports bets.