Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs the ball during...

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Credit: AP/Matt Rourke

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he was forced to divest his equity stake in Polymarket because of league rules that ban NFL players from investing in or endorsing gambling or prediction-market companies.

Barkley told Front Office Sports that any involvement with prediction markets is no longer allowed by the NFL.

“I was in it before, but no bueno,” he told Front Office Sports for story published Wednesday.

The NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and MLS all have deals with either Kalshi or Polymarket or both.

Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James has a reported $15 million per year salary as a paid endorser for Polymarket. He recently appeared in a star-studded commercial that included cameos by Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Sue Bird and others.

Prediction markets provide an opportunity to trade on the result of future events. Sports account for a major portion of the volume generated by the array of typically yes-or-no questions, depending on the platform.

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