The NFL forces Saquon Barkley to withdraw from new sports betting business venture

S aquon Barkley 's efforts to build a business empire beyond his NFL career have hit an unexpected obstacle, with the Philadelphia Eagles star revealing that league regulations forced him to abandon an investment in Polymarket.

The running back has become increasingly active in the investment world, acquiring stakes in technology companies and startups as he looks to establish financial opportunities beyond football.

However, his ownership interest in the prediction-market platform conflicted with the NFL's gambling policies.

Barkley confirmed to Front Office Sports that he previously invested in Polymarket but had to sell his shares after learning that players were prohibited from holding financial interests in prediction-market companies.

"I am not in that right now," Barkley said. "I am not allowed to be in that."

The 29-year-old explained that the NFL reviews permitted endorsements, investments and business relationships with players before each season, with the restrictions surrounding prediction markets becoming clear during that process.

"So I kinda had to get out of that," Barkley added.

The financial implications remain unknown, with neither the size of Barkley's original investment nor the amount he received for his stake publicly disclosed.

Why the NFL blocked Barkley's Polymarket ownership

The decision reflects the NFL's cautious approach toward prediction markets, which allow customers to trade contracts based on the outcomes of future events, including sporting contests.

Although Polymarket and rival Kalshi operate differently from conventional sportsbooks, the NFL applies its restrictions on gambling-related investments and endorsements to both companies.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy made the league's position clear earlier this year when asked whether its players could invest in prediction-market businesses.

"NFL players may not own a stake," McCarthy told NBC Sports.

That stance has created an increasingly noticeable divide between professional sports organizations. NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo became an investor in Kalshi, while the basketball league has subsequently established commercial relationships with both major prediction-market platforms.

Major League Baseball, the NHL and Major League Soccer have also reached agreements with prediction-market companies, demonstrating how differently the industry is being approached across American sports.

The NFL has instead raised concerns about regulation and consumer protections, questioning whether sports-related prediction contracts should be governed under the same framework as traditional gambling.

Saquon Barkley's growing investment portfolio remains intact

Despite losing his Polymarket stake, Barkley has established an extensive collection of investments designed to generate income beyond his playing career.

His holdings have included financial technology company Ramp, where he pursued an ownership arrangement alongside an advertising appearance before Super Bowl LIX.

Barkley has also invested in Anthropic, Anduril, Neuralink, Cognition and Strike, reflecting his interest in emerging technologies and businesses with significant growth potential.

His investment strategy emphasizes acquiring equity rather than relying solely on conventional endorsement contracts, an approach that could provide financial benefits long after his NFL career concludes.

The forced Polymarket exit does not appear to have changed those ambitions, but it has exposed an important limitation facing NFL players seeking opportunities in the expanding sports prediction industry.

As rival leagues increasingly embrace the sector, Barkley's experience illustrates how the same investment can be permitted for one professional athlete while remaining prohibited for another.