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The Major League Baseball Players Association has put forward a proposal to eliminate prop bets tied to individual players, arguing that such wagers fuel harassment from frustrated gamblers.
A union source told ESPN that the measure was raised during ongoing collective bargaining talks with Major League Baseball. The union’s plan goes beyond traditional sportsbooks, extending to daily fantasy operators and prediction markets that offer contracts based on player performance.
Under the proposal, all bets on individual players would be prohibited, whether placed before or during a game. That includes popular offerings such as odds on whether a batter will hit a home run.
The MLBPA also suggested that the league join them in lobbying for a broader ban, signaling a united front against markets that target single‑player outcomes. An MLB official confirmed the league would respond to the proposal during negotiations.
Players also looking for clarification on gambling and prediction market sponsorships
The MLB Players Association has asked the league to spell out what kinds of sponsorships and endorsements players can pursue with legal betting operators.
While the current collective bargaining agreement bars athletes from using their name, image, or uniform number to promote betting on baseball games, the union wants clarity on whether partnerships with prediction markets and sportsbooks are allowed outside of that restriction.
The proposal also touches on how gambling investigations and punishments should be handled.
If the union’s plan gets underway, players facing investigations would be placed on administrative leave rather than continuing to play while under review. For those serving suspensions, the MLBPA suggested a path back that includes a 15‑day unpaid rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues before returning to the majors.
Major League Baseball has already taken steps in the area of prop betting after major scandals. Last November, after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were indicted in a pitch‑rigging scheme, MLB and its sportsbook partners capped first‑pitch prop bets at $200
The league also prohibited those wagers from being included in parlays at most sportsbooks.
NCAA also pushing hard for prop betting ban
The MLBPA’s proposal landed in the same week that college sports officials were pressing for similar restrictions. In Indiana, the NCAA urged regulators to outlaw prop bets on student‑athletes, arguing that player welfare should outweigh gambling interests.
The Indiana Gaming Commission devoted more than an hour to the issue during its Thursday meeting, hearing NCAA officials call for a ban while sportsbook operators warned that such a move could drive bettors to offshore markets.
Despite the strong arguments on both sides, commissioners chose not to act immediately. They voted unanimously to table the proposal, leaving the matter unresolved until their next meeting in September.
