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Rush Street Interactive, the parent company of BetRivers, is taking another step toward the rapidly expanding prediction market sector, signaling that traditional sportsbook operators are increasingly preparing for a future shaped by federally regulated event contracts.
According to recent reports from Legal Sports Report and other industry outlets, entities tied to Rush Street Interactive have filed applications with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, for key prediction market licenses. The filings include applications for both a Designated Contract Market license and a Derivative Clearing Organization registration — approvals required to operate federally regulated event-contract exchanges in the U.S.
Earlier reports linked RSI to an entity called Eventive III LLC, while newer filings reference Eventive IV LLC, suggesting the company’s interest in the sector is becoming more formalized. Rush Street Interactive has not publicly announced plans to launch prediction market products and declined comment in multiple media reports.
Sportsbooks continue exploring prediction markets
Rush Street Interactive joins a growing list of gaming operators evaluating prediction markets as the industry evolves beyond politics and macroeconomics into sports, entertainment and financial events.
DraftKings has been among the most aggressive sportsbook operators in the space following its 2025 acquisition of Railbird Exchange. Sporttrade has also explored federally regulated event contracts alongside its exchange-style sports betting model.
The sector’s growth has accelerated alongside platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which have attracted billions in trading volume and increased mainstream attention over the past year.
For sportsbook operators, prediction markets represent both a competitive challenge and a potential expansion opportunity. Users trading sports-related contracts often resemble traditional sportsbook customers, but prediction markets currently operate under a different regulatory structure than state-regulated sports betting.
Federal oversight remains the key advantage
One of the primary reasons prediction markets have become attractive to gaming operators is the possibility of operating under federal oversight rather than navigating individual state gaming regulations.
Traditional sportsbooks must comply with state-by-state licensing rules, tax structures and operational restrictions. Prediction market operators instead fall under CFTC jurisdiction through the Commodity Exchange Act.
That distinction remains at the center of an escalating regulatory debate.
State gaming regulators and tribal gaming groups have argued that many sports event contracts function similarly to sports betting and should therefore be regulated at the state level. Prediction market operators maintain that federally regulated event contracts are legally distinct financial products.
The debate intensified this month when the CFTC released proposed prediction market regulations that would largely permit sports-related event contracts while introducing restrictions on certain categories, including youth sports and contracts tied to injuries or officiating decisions.
RSI appears focused on long-term flexibility
While Rush Street Interactive’s filings do not guarantee a product launch, the applications suggest the company wants flexibility if prediction markets continue gaining legal and commercial momentum.
The move could also represent a defensive strategy. BetRivers competes in a sportsbook landscape dominated by FanDuel and DraftKings, making product differentiation increasingly important.
If prediction markets continue expanding under federal oversight, sportsbooks may eventually view event contracts as a natural extension of their existing businesses.
For now, Rush Street Interactive appears to be securing a seat at the table while the regulatory environment develops.
Prediction markets continue moving mainstream
Even if RSI never launches a prediction market platform, its filings underscore a broader industry trend: traditional gaming operators no longer view event contracts as a niche curiosity.
Just two years ago, discussion around prediction markets largely centered on Kalshi and Polymarket. Today, operators, exchanges and fintech companies across the gaming industry are evaluating the space as regulatory battles unfold and trading volume continues climbing.
As the lines between sportsbooks, exchanges and financial trading platforms continue to blur, prediction markets are becoming increasingly difficult for gaming operators to ignore.
