At the recent NEXT NYC conference on 10 March 2026, industry expert Chris Grove discussed the potential for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to solve product problems in the fast-growing prediction markets sector.

Grove, partner emeritus at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming and co-founder at Acies Investments, noted that despite the industry's cultural momentum, leading players still face under-mature products. He stressed that the astronomical valuations of companies like Kalshi and Polymarket - reported at around $20 billion - could provide financial opportunities to buy key vendor functions, streamline development and accelerate innovation.

According to Grove, M&A activity can be the fastest way to create competitive advantage, allowing companies to integrate critical capabilities inward and fix weaknesses in their products.