DraftKings launches DKeX prediction market in the United States
Deals & M&A2 min read
In brief
- DraftKings launched DKeX, its own event-contract market, on 26 June 2026.
- The market builds on technology and authorisations from the Railbird Technologies acquisition.
- DraftKings began offering prediction markets in December 2025 with DraftKings Predictions.
- Event contracts are traded under CFTC federal supervision; state powers remain disputed.
DraftKings has launched DKeX, its own event-contract market, the company announced. The launch took place on 26 June 2026 and the market was developed from technology and authorisations obtained through the acquisition of Railbird Technologies, according to a report. DraftKings began offering prediction markets in December 2025, when it presented DraftKings Predictions, an application for trading contracts linked to future events, including sporting results and financial indicators.
The Boston-based group is listed on the Nasdaq and operates through the independent entity DraftKings Inc., which also owns Golden Nugget Online Gaming, acquired in 2022, and the digital lottery platform Jackpocket. Golden Nugget Online Gaming forms part of the group's online casino business, while the physical Golden Nugget casinos were excluded from that acquisition. The report says DraftKings is competing directly with platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, and that the DKeX infrastructure allows the company to manage a core part of its predictions offering directly and to integrate these products into its sports betting and casino application.
On 26 October the United States professional basketball league announced an agreement extending its collaboration with DraftKings to include prediction markets and their promotion at national scale. The league also designated Kalshi and Polymarket as its preferred prediction markets under a new collaboration framework that includes measures to protect sporting integrity and to control the contracts that may be offered.
Event contracts are traded under federal supervision by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, according to the report, although how they fit with state powers over sports betting remains disputed. In Spain, the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego opened sanction proceedings against Polymarket and Kalshi in May and ordered their sites blocked as a precaution, on the grounds that they were allegedly operating without the required authorisation.