IG Group plans to introduce financial prediction markets for UK professional clients in the fourth quarter of 2026. Its 22 October capital markets update also disclosed an application for a UK gambling licence, intended to support prediction markets covering politics, entertainment and sport from early 2027. The application and the professional-client product are separate parts of the expansion.[1][2]
Three initiatives, different routes to launch
| Initiative | Audience or scope | Announced status |
|---|---|---|
| Financial prediction markets | UK professional clients | Q4 2026 launch plannedSource 2 |
| Broader prediction markets | Politics, entertainment and sport | Gambling licence applied for; early 2027 ambitionSource 2 |
| Underdog acquisition | US fantasy sports and prediction markets | Closing expected late 2026 or early 2027Source 2 |
The product plans sit within a group reorganisation around Consumer, Securities and tastytrade. IG says its unified UK platform already brings trading, investing and crypto together. Prediction markets would add another category to that offering, but the professional-client qualification prevents the Q4 target from being read as a general UK retail launch.[2]
The US expansion has a different dependency: completion of the proposed Underdog acquisition. IG reiterated its expected closing window at the strategy event; it did not announce completion or a transfer of US permissions into the UK. The immediate milestones are the UK product launch and the outcome of the gambling application, followed separately by the acquisition closing.[2]
Sources & further reading
- IG Capital Markets Event — original group announcement IG Group · 22 Oct 2026 · Accessed 26 Oct 2026
- IG Group Capital Markets Event — full company RNS reproduced by Investegate IG Group Holdings plc · 22 Oct 2026 · Accessed 26 Oct 2026